


Lockdown

by Annibelle_White



Category: The Wicked Years Series - Gregory Maguire, Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: F/M, Locked In
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:49:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 22,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28091934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annibelle_White/pseuds/Annibelle_White
Summary: Elphaba is innocently studying with Fiyero when a chemical attack leaves them locked in his apartment for weeks. Afraid and uncertain, they cling to one another while waiting to return to the outside world. But what if what happens in lockdown doesn't stay in lockdown, even though they agreed it would? And what if there was more to the attack than they were told? Fiyeraba.
Relationships: Elphaba Thropp/Fiyero Tigelaar
Comments: 15
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1: The Days Before

**Chapter One: The Days Before**

Elphaba stared blankly at her notes. Actually attending life sciences lectures had become a chore for her. She would read the chapters in the textbook in advance, do research on each topic on her own, create her own notes, and pass the tests with ease. Unfortunately, attendance at lectures was mandatory unless she had a note from the infirmary or other permissions. So there she sat, trying desperately to tune out Dr. Nikdik and the mumblings of her peers.

Glinda was writing studiously beside her, her pen sliding elegantly across the paper in her perfect script, always cleaner and more refined than Elphaba’s messy scrawl. How could Glinda listen to this drivel? Elphaba had grown so agitated by it that she’d even offered once to allow Glinda to copy _her_ notes, something she _never_ did, but Glinda had refused, claiming she’d much rather take her own notes and that it didn’t feel right. But what wasn’t right, Elphaba had tried to tell her, was the flagrantly biased science Dr. Nikdik was feeding them.

A row or two behind them, Boq sat with Fiyero, Crope and Tibbet. She didn’t look back, but she could practically feel Boq’s pathetic staring at Glinda’s back. At least someone else wasn’t paying attention, though it was for absurdly stupid reasons. Crope and Tibbet were likely poking fun at one another while Fiyero sat in silence, his head cocked at quiet attention. She’d seen them enough during lectures to know this without turning around.

She gazed around the lecture hall, hoping someone else was doing something interesting she could focus on, even for a short time. There was a girl picking her nose in the left corner, but that wasn’t entertaining, just a little gross. She sighed and drew swirls in the margins of her notes, silently wishing the lecture would end already. 

Elphaba was practically unconscious by the time the lecture finally did end, fighting desperately to stay awake. She never had that problem in other classes, but then again, she focused on the professors in those classes. Glinda nudged her, “Elphie, come on.”

Before she gathered her notebook, FIyero had paused on his way out the lecture hall in front of them. “Miss Elphaba, may I speak to you a moment?”

Glinda threw raised eyebrows her way and Elphaba waved her away. The blonde was always accusing her of having a crush on the prince, and Elphaba didn’t want to deal with the endless nagging. She smiled at Fiyero. “Yes?”

Glinda walked ever-so-slowly away, but stayed in the doorway waiting and staring.

“Well, I was wondering if you’d be interested in tutoring me? I’d pay whatever it is you think is appropriate. I just can’t help but notice how you manage to do so well in this class and how you come to class with a full page of notes every time.”

Elphaba laughed. “Master Fiyero, you don’t have to pay me. And I don’t think you’ll really need a tutor. I merely read ahead and do some research. Why don’t we meet sometime and I’ll go over my process so you can do the same?”

“That could work. Thank you, Miss Elphaba. When would be a good time?”

“Anytime.”

“Don’t you have to check with Glinda and your Nanny? I have to come to your room, right?”

Elphaba rolled her eyes. “I mean, technically, but I really don’t care for the rules and my Nanny isn’t obsessively following me around given her commitment to Nessa, so I really don’t care where we meet. In fact, I’d rather it _not_ be my room. Glinda’s… odd about visitors.” That wasn’t necessarily true, but if Fiyero came to their room, Glinda would just sit and ogle them, or make suggestive comments.

“I… I live in the apartment building just west of Crage. Are you comfortable coming to my place?”

“Of course. You act as though I should be concerned.”

“Most young women are. It’s a propriety issue for them, I believe. But if you’re not, that’s fine.” Fiyero smiled gently at her.

“And I don’t care for propriety. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to loudly announce that I’m going over to your place unattended and invite people to think what they want. And I don’t think you’ll act in any way improper.”

“Of course not. I just wanted to make certain you were comfortable.”

“I appreciate that, but it’s fine. Today is Thursday. I’m busy most of the day tomorrow working on an essay for my histories class, but Saturday? What time is best for you?”

“Any time in the afternoon is fine, Miss Elphaba.”

“I’ll come by after the lunch hour, then. What’s your apartment number?”

“I’m in apartment 37.”

Elphaba scrawled the number on her hand. “I’ll see you then, Master Fiyero.”

“Thank you again, Miss Elphaba.” 

When she joined back up with Glinda and began walking back to class, Glinda didn’t wait long to pester her about the exchange. “What did Master Fiyero want? Was he asking you on a date?”

“Glinda! I’ve told you before that it could never happen. He has an arranged fiancee back home, anyway. And besides, I don’t have those feelings for him.” She resisted the urge to glance back and see if Fiyero was near. The fact was, she thought he was attractive. And she admired his dedication to school, along with his kindness. But Elphaba was used to wanting things she couldn’t have, and knew better than ever to admit it or act on it. He was simply her classmate, and a part of her small group of friends. 

However, she worried since Glinda had figured out that she might have a small crush, that she was obvious when she tried not to be. She never let her gaze linger, or giggled at him when he spoke to her. She never sighed dramatically when he walked by, or allowed herself to daydream about him. How could Glinda even tell there was anything? 

“Please, Elphie, have you seen the way he looks at you?” Glinda smirked.

“The way he looks at me?” Not the way she looked at him? Was Glinda reading something from Fiyero, and not her? Maybe she hadn’t been obvious, after all. But did that mean Fiyero thought there was something there, too?

“You are so clueless. He likes you.”

“He has a woman waiting to marry him in the Vinkus, Glinda. He feels nothing of the sort.” Elphaba shook her head.

“Just because he is supposed to marry someone doesn’t mean he wants to. Maybe his tastes are a little more… colorful?”

Elphaba merely glared at Glinda.

“Oh, come on, Elphie!”

“Even if he did, which he doesn’t, it wouldn’t matter, would it? Like I said, he’s arranged to be married. He knows better than to even try courting someone else.”

“You’re no fun, Elphie.”

“I’m sorry if I’m too logical for you, Glinda.”

“What about you, though? Do you like him?”

“I told you five minutes ago that I do not. I want nothing to do with it. He’s engaged and off-limits.”

“That doesn’t mean you haven’t thought about it.”

Elphaba folded her arms across her chest. “Just give it up.”

“Fine. What did he want, though, anyway?”

“Help studying.”

Glinda’s voice fell. “Oh.”

“Exactly. Not nearly as salacious as you were hoping, huh?” Elphaba teased.

“We need to find you someone, though, Elphie. You deserve that.”

She rolled her eyes while Glinda wasn’t looking. “I don’t necessarily want that. If it comes along, fine, maybe, but I’m not looking. Not like you.”

“Was that an insult?”

Elphaba sighed as she opened the door to their room. “No, of course not. We have different priorities. That’s not wrong.”

Glinda huffed and plopped onto her bed in a sea of frilly pillows. “Sometimes it seems like it is an insult, Elphie.”

Elphaba placed her books back on her desk. “It’s not, I promise. Maybe it was when I first met you. You’re going to be married long before I ever even date, if I ever do. And that’s fine with me, if that’s what you want. Just don’t let whoever it is overshadow you. You have value, too. Too many of the girls I see suddenly just become ‘so-and-so’s wife,’ and not a real person. I don’t want that for you. That’s what I mean, I suppose.”

Glinda gave her a thin smile. “That’s sweet.”

“Don’t get sentimental on me,” Elphaba threatened.

“Never.” Glinda promised, laughing. “And I’m also never giving up on finding you someone. Because you do deserve love, Elphie, even if you think you don’t.”


	2. Chapter 2: Day One, Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba and Fiyero begin studying when they are interrupted with world-altering news.

**Chapter Two: Day One, Before**

Fiyero ate lunch alone instead of going to the cafeteria. Sometimes Boq, Crope or Tibbet would invite him to lunch, but on weekends they often forgot about him since he lived in a different building than they did. The apartment had been the only place open to live when he’d arrived mid-year, so he’d been stuck with it. He kept his cabinet well-stocked, as he didn’t like going out shopping often. Once he finished lunch, he tidied up a little. He wasn’t trying to impress Elphaba, or anything.

He questioned his own wisdom at allowing her to come over. Fiyero knew there was some tension there - he found her alluring. He barely ever admitted it to himself, and would never in his life tell anyone else. Nothing could be done about it after all, with his impending marriage. Besides, he’d sown his wild oats in the Vinkus. Still, the thought of being alone with her excited him somewhat. He knew nothing would happen, anyway, but even the slimmest possibility gave his mind reason to wander.

When she knocked at his door, he shook the fantasy away with a tilt of his head and answered. “Good afternoon, Miss Elphaba.”

“Elphaba is fine if you’re comfortable with it. I don’t feel as though we should address our peers so formally.” She stepped into the apartment and looked around. “How’d you swing the apartment, by the way? I thought only male seniors or married couples could live here.”

“There wasn’t anywhere else when I transferred in, so they bent the rules a bit.”

“I’m sure they wouldn’t have done the same for a woman,” she muttered. “But then again, you don’t have to have an Ama.”

He’d heard her comment about this subject before, and he agreed with her that women needing chaperones was unnecessary. “I see you’ve gotten away from yours,” he laughed.

“I’ve been escaping from Nanny since I was a child. Ama Clutch was much more difficult, though.” Her face changed. “It’s a shame what happened to her.”

Fiyero hadn’t arrived at Shiz yet when Ama Clutch had first fallen ill, but he knew all about it from the many conversations about her. This, however, was the first time he’d detected a hint of sadness in Elphaba’s voice when she spoke of it. “It is. I’m sorry.”

Elphaba jerked her head and shrugged. “So, let me talk you through what I do when I study, if that’s well with you?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have your book?” She looked at him expectantly. 

“Oh! Yes.” He’d been tidying up and not thinking about his book. He dug it out of a desk drawer.

Elphaba was holding hers. She always seemed to be holding her books. He wondered why - her bag was huge, but it always looked stuffed. What could she be carrying aside from her books all the time? It was probably rude to ask. 

He had a small table he ate at. It only had one chair, so he pulled the desk chair up to it so they could both sit. “Here.”

“Do you have your syllabus?”

“He never got me one.”

“That’s part of the problem, then. See, on the syllabus he has each chapter we’re supposed to be studying for each week. I brought mine. You can copy it down.” She pulled the syllabus from the front cover of her book and placed it on the table.

“Thank you.” He grabbed a sheet of paper. “So all you did is read these chapters?”

“Not quite. But I’ll get to that when you’re finished writing. I can’t believe Nikdik never even got you a syllabus.”

“After my little entrance to class last semester, he’s hated me. I don’t even ask questions in class anymore,” Fiyero grumbled, scribbling quickly. 

“I can’t blame you. You would’ve loved our old professor, I’m sure.”

“I’ve heard you talk about him. Dr. Dillamond?”

“Yes. He never would’ve pushed City propaganda on us the way Nikdik does. And he was much better at teaching, overall. He was easier to understand and never acted like any question was stupid.” There was pain in her voice.

Fiyero looked up as he finished copying the dates and chapter numbers down. “You were his lab assistant, weren’t you?”

She nodded, carefully pulling her paper back from him and blinking. “I was.” After a pause, she said, “Back to the topic at hand, though. The first thing I do is I skim the textbook chapter he’ll be teaching about. There are times that I find some of the content a little questionable. In that case, I do copy it down, but I make a note to myself. That’s when I go to the library and dig through actual research.”

“Sounds like you have a whole process.”

“I suppose I do.”

“That’s good. What do you look up when you go to the library? The chapter title?”

“That, and whatever key words I can glean from the chapter.”

“This sounds like it takes quite a bit of time.”

Elphaba’s eyes met his. “It does, but at least I don’t have to attempt to listen to Dr. Nikdik. Are you not willing to spend that much time?”

“Oh, I am. I was just making an observation. You’re very focused on your learning. I can appreciate that.”

“You seem to be fairly focused, as well,” she replied. “Now, do you want to maybe go through next week’s chapter and we can work together? We can head to the library in a little, too.”

“That’s a good plan.”

Elphaba pulled a pen out from behind her ear, where she almost always had one. He’d noticed it even when the group ate together. “I circle anything of note or underline it.”

Fiyero got up and dug through his desk drawer until he found a suitable pen. “Shall we read aloud or just read silently together?”

“I trust you can do most of this yourself. We can discuss after we read.” Elphaba pulled her legs up in her chair and brushed her hair from her face, closing herself off as she read. Her pen traced the words as she chewed on the nail of her pinky finger.

Fiyero stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out how he found what she was doing to be adorable and not a little rude. When she looked up at him and raised her eyebrows without saying anything, he cleared his throat uncomfortably and began reading himself, forcing his eyes away from her.

As he read, he reminded himself that his silly little crush on her was not her problem, and definitely not why she was here. He did not want her to be uncomfortable, and she was doing him a favor by helping him study. 

He had just circled something interesting when a booming voice filled the room.

“STUDENTS, IF YOU ARE INSIDE, STAY WHERE YOU ARE. IF NOT, GET INSIDE IMMEDIATELY.” It was Madame Morrible’s voice, magicked to be amplified. It was probably all across campus. “CLOSE THE DOORS AND WINDOWS.”

Elphaba jumped almost out of her seat, panic in her eyes. “What the fuck?”

If he hadn’t been also in shock, he might’ve laughed hearing her curse, but he was just as concerned as she was. None of his windows were open, and the door to the apartment was closed, so he just caught Elphaba’s gaze. “I’m sure it’s…”

“THERE IS A SITUATION. DO NOT LEAVE THE BUILDINGS. I WILL EXPLAIN MORE IN A FEW MOMENTS. GET TO SAFETY IMMEDIATELY.”

Elphaba got up and ran to the window, looking out. He followed her. She turned to him. “I don’t see anything. One or two people running inside. But I don’t see…”

He put a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what to say or do.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FOOLISH REBELS HAVE LAUNCHED MULTIPLE CHEMICAL ATTACKS - ONE ON THE CITY, ONE ON SHIZ AND OTHERS WE ARE STILL LEARNING ABOUT. WE HAVE OUTSMARTED THEM. YEARS AGO, WE PUT PROTECTION AND FILTRATION SPELLS ON ALL BUILDINGS AT THE UNIVERSITY AND THE BANKS ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER BUILDINGS HERE. THE CITY WAS SIMILARLY PROTECTED. YOU ARE SAFE. BUT YOU MUST NOT LEAVE WHERE YOU ARE. HOPEFULLY, THIS WILL ONLY BE A DAY OR TWO. PLEASE WAIT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. I REPEAT: STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND DO NOT LEAVE.”

** Elphaba shuddered. “Shit.” **


	3. Chapter 3: Day One, Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the realization that they are stuck together sets in, Elphaba and Fiyero discuss the crisis that has hit Oz as well as logistics.

**Chapter Three: Day One, Afternoon**

““Nessa doesn’t go anywhere except church, so she’s fine and so is Nanny.” Elphaba almost immediately began pacing the room. “What buildings in town do you think are safe? Glinda was talking about possibly going for tea with Shen-Shen and Pfanee this afternoon…” Elphaba started listing through the people she cared about, but it was a short list.

“It’s not tea time yet, Elphaba. I’m sure she hasn’t left yet and she’s safe in your dorm.” Fiyero grabbed her hand. “Sit down. Don’t panic.” 

“Right, right.” Elphaba blankly sat down on the edge of his bed. “I… why would a rebel group do this?” Wouldn’t they know about the shielding spells? They had to be better organized than that.

“I don’t know, Elphaba.” Her hand was still in his, and he squeezed it before sitting down beside her and dropping it. “It doesn’t sound like Madame Morrible knows, either.”

“I just can’t imagine attacking like this.”

“I don’t think any of us could imagine, Elphaba. Let’s talk through this. First of all, you’re stuck here, hopefully only overnight. You can use my shower…”

“I can’t.” She shook her head quickly. “I can’t.”

“Why?”

Elphaba took a deep breath, blinking slowly and trying to shake the panic away. “Fiyero, I’m going to tell you something that only my immediate family knows. Glinda doesn’t even know, though I’m sure she suspects. When this is all over, please keep my confidence.”

“Of course.” He nodded urgently.

“I’m allergic to water. It burns. Before you ask, I bathe using oils. Sometimes it stings a little, but it’s not bad.”

“I might have something in the cupboard?” Fiyero began to stand.

This time she grabbed his hand, pulling him back. “I’m fine.” She smiled at him for a moment, realizing he hadn’t acted the least bit shocked or horrified by her allergy. Then she pulled her knapsack off the chair she’d been sitting at earlier and brought it back to the bed. “I… I can’t get caught in the rain. I always keep a change of clothing, in case I get wet, and some oil, in case I get stuck somewhere and there’s a downpour.” She opened her knapsack and took her things out.

“I always wondered what you carried around. I figured you had more books in there or something.”

Elphaba forced a small laugh at that. “Not at all. I have to be prepared. I’ve been caught unaware too many times in the past. I have a cloak, an extra dress and… other clothes.” She flushed, realizing an extra bra and panties were at the bottom of the bag and shut it quickly. “I’ve also got some oil and a snack.”

“Well, at least you were prepared, even if this wasn’t exactly what you thought you were preparing for. I’ve got plenty of food, so that’s taken care of for the next few days, at least.”

Elphaba appreciated the reassurances, but stood up and looked out the window. There was a haze over everything. She couldn’t see any bodies, and she hoped no one had been outside. Whether it was logical or not, she still worried for Glinda. 

Fiyero came up behind her. “We’ll be fine. They were prepared for this.”

“I know that, but I don’t  _ know _ that,” she commented dazedly. Then a horrible thought crossed her mind. “The Animals and animals…”

“We don’t know who and what it affects,” he tried.

She shook her head and buried her face in her hands. She felt Fiyero’s arms come around her as he hugged her close to him. Elphaba let herself lean into him, press her face into his shirt for a moment. “I don’t think… why would the rebels do something that would disproportionately affect the people and creatures they’d want to protect? Not every building is shielded! I imagine those in poverty…” 

He ran a hand through her hair, gently. It felt so natural being near him like this. “I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s nothing to say,” she replied, pulling away from him. She had to keep her head. In his embrace, she was too distracted. “But thank you for trying to comfort me. Like I said, I know I shouldn’t be upset about things we don’t know yet, but I just  _ know _ things are wrong.” She felt her fists clench and tried to relax them.

“I know, and if this is true, I’m as angry as you are. Everyone should’ve been protected. If they’ve seen this coming years ago, why not methodically protect  _ every  _ building?”

Elphaba wiped at her eyes. “Exactly. You understand!”

“I do, but let’s keep our focus right now on getting through this. Otherwise we’ll be upset when there’s nothing we can do at this moment to help or fix it.”

When had Fiyero become the voice of reason and she the emotional, helpless girl? “Good idea. Sleeping arrangements?”

They both looked at Fiyero’s bed. It was bigger than any bed Elphaba had ever slept in. In the dormitories she and Glinda had twin beds, and she’d had a small mattress on a floor at home. But despite the size of the bed, she had a feeling it would somehow feel quite tiny if they were both in it.

“I have extra blankets for the winters. I can sleep on the floor, if you’d like my bed. I promise the sheets are clean. Saturdays are laundry days for me.” Fiyero spoke quickly, almost stumbling over the word “sheets,” as he rushed through his sentence.

“Why? It’s your apartment. Are you afraid that asking me to sleep on the floor would upset my delicate, girlish sensibilities?”

“Delicate? Girlish?” He grinned. “Not the words I’d use.”

“Oh?”

“Fierce. Headstrong.”

“Thank you, I suppose. But I’m perfectly fine sleeping on the floor.”

“As am I. Morrible said it may be two days or so. Why don’t we start with me on the floor and switch off from there, if you’re comfortable with that?”

“I can live with that.” She was still eyeing the bed, wondering if it would be so wrong to just ask to share it. Elphaba tried not to laugh. Here she was, in the middle of an enormous, Oz-sized crisis, and all she could think about was sleeping with an engaged man! Sleeping -  _ just _ sleeping, of course.

“I wish there was a way to get a message to Glinda or Nessa and let them know you’re safe,” he said. 

“Me, too. Are you worried about anyone?”

“Maybe some of our friends? I seriously doubt the Vinkus was attacked. That would be a bit of a trek, and the rebels have no interest in us. Neither does the Wizard, really.”

Elphaba only nodded and they stood in tense silence for a few moments. Suddenly, a low thudding came from the other side of the room. She turned to him. “What is that?”

Fiyero snorted. “Really? Now? What about everything that’s going on made them want to do that?” He laughed. “My neighbors. Newlyweds. They’re very affectionate. And the bedframe hits the wall.”

Elphaba’s face got hot. “Oh!”

“Give it a minute, there’ll be moaning, too. I usually just ignore it. Hey, at least it means there are other people alive on campus that we know about.”

Elphaba started laughing. “Do you even know them?”

“I’ve seen them in the halls, but never spoken to them, no. If this lasts longer than a few days, all the married couples are going to be pregnant by the end of it.”

Elphaba swallowed hard, still laughing, but looking away from him. In her mind, there was an image of him, his headboard hitting the wall as he pressed one hand against them, on top of her, moving, sweaty and naked… “I, uh, hadn’t thought of that.”

“No matter. You get used to them. It doesn’t happen very late at night, really, so they never wake me up. At least they’re polite about it.”

She heard a woman moan. “Well, somewhat polite.” She couldn’t help it. She giggled. “I guess I’ll adjust. I shouldn’t really be here anyway, so I have no right to complain.”

“On that note, I wonder how many other unmarried girls are stuck with unmarried guys? Madame Morrible would freak out.”

“Probably not many. Remember, I’m breaking the rules by being here unsupervised. There may be a few guys stuck in the girls’ dormitories, but with a girl, her roommate and her Ama. I don’t know that anyone else is in my situation.”

“You don’t think anyone else has ever broken a rule?”

“Perhaps,” she admitted. “Maybe a courting couple getting a little heated?”

“Likely enough.” He shrugged. “I doubt Morrible thought of that when she decided we all had to shelter in place. It could be worse, though. At least we’re friendly. It’d be uncomfortable to be stuck with a stranger.”

“True. And honestly, for a courting couple, it may be pretty uncomfortable as well, just in a different way.” Elphaba met his eyes then, and they both knew it was pretty uncomfortable for them, too. For the first time, she saw what Glinda saw. He wanted her. And she wanted him.

But even if it was the end of the world, it could  _ never _ happen.


	4. Chapter 4: Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another day brings no answers as Elphaba and Fiyero prepare to be stuck together longer than just a day or two.

**Chapter Four: Day Two**

Neither of them slept well. He could hear her tossing about in the bed most of the night. She was anxious, no doubt, as was he. Beyond worrying about friends or family, what would Oz look like when the haze cleared? Would there be retaliation? A war? How many were dead?

He heard her groan and shift in the bed early in the morning, so he sat up. She was still wearing the same dress - she didn’t exactly pack nightclothes in that emergency bag she carried. He’d considered offering her some of his clothes, but he knew the pants would be too large on her tiny waist, and her in just a long shirt would show more of those legs than he could handle.

“Morning,” she mumbled wearily. “Did you sleep well?”

He shook his head.

“Was it my fault? Could you hear me? I had a hard time falling asleep.”

“It wasn’t you,” he assured her.

“You couldn’t sleep, either, could you?” She climbed out of bed, her hair mussed up and her dress wrinkled.

“I was up wondering and worrying,” he admitted. And, at times, daydreaming about  _ her _ . It had been hard, knowing she was in his bed. Even now, an unkempt mess, he stared at her longer than he should each time he looked at her. Did she see it?

“Me, too.” She fidgeted with her dress. “I need to clean up and change.” Elphaba grabbed her bag. “Can I use your restroom?”

“Go ahead.” He could use a minute or two to himself, anyway. Then he’d need to shower and get dressed.

While she was in there, he gathered his clothes so he’d have them with him in the bathroom rather than have to come out in a towel, as he usually did living alone. Then he poured a little cereal into a bowl. He ate it dry, deciding to forgo the milk.

Elphaba came out as he finished, her skin shining. Her dress was simple and black, like most of her dresses were. She sat down across from him at the table. “May I have some?”

“Of course. You don’t need to ask.” He pushed the sack of cereal toward her and grabbed a second bowl. “I’m going to shower and get dressed. You look refreshed, by the way. I think I’d like to feel the same.”

She smiled at him before digging into the cereal.

By the time he got out of the shower and dressed, she was curled up in the chair at his table, reading one of his textbooks. He laughed and she glared at him. “Are you seriously going to read all the books I own?”

“I might. Depends how long we’re stuck here.” She gave him a pointed look and went back to reading.

He decided it would be wise not to bother her, and instead busied himself with taking inventory of his cabinets in case, Oz forbid, they were stuck there longer than they thought they would be.

An hour or two after they woke up, Madame Morrible’s voice came booming across campus again. “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE CITY. THE WIZARD IS FINE AND IN GOOD HEALTH, AS ARE ALL OF HIS ADVISORS.”

Elphaba groaned.

“HOWEVER, IT WOULD APPEAR THESE CHEMICALS ARE MORE POTENT THAN WE THOUGHT. SOME OF OUR TIKTOK DEVICES HAVE BEEN GATHERING MATERIALS AND BRINGING THEM TO OUR SCIENTISTS. IT IS NOW LOOKING LIKE YOU MAY BE STAYING PUT FOR A WEEK, PERHAPS LONGER.”

Fiyero looked over at Elphaba, who was staring right back at him. In many ways, he’d much rather be trapped with her than anyone else. But in others, a week or more might just kill him. That voice, her eyes, those legs, the way she moved…

“WE WILL NEED TO BE PATIENT. WE ALSO NEED TO KNOW WHO IS WHERE. WE PLAN TO SUPPLY YOU WITH DRY GOODS TO HELP KEEP YOU NOURISHED. TIKTOK SERVANTS WILL BE CAREFULLY ENTERING THE BUILDINGS WITH FOOD AND DROPPING RATIONS OFF AT EACH DOOR. WE ASK THAT YOU LEAVE A PAPER WITH THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DORMITORY, APARTMENT, LIBRARY, STUDY ROOM OR OTHER AREA. WE MUST ACCOUNT FOR OUR STUDENTS. PLEASE DO NOT WORRY, TIKTOK SERVANTS WILL BE DECONTAMINATED UPON ENTERING YOUR BUILDING. AS FOR CLASSWORK, WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY DURING THIS TIME. I WILL GIVE YOU DAILY UPDATES. THANK YOU.”

“You think she’ll come after me for being here unsupervised?” Elphaba asked quietly when it appeared Morrible’s announcement had finished.

“Unless she’s somehow got magic to show her everyone’s movements, how does she know you weren’t just outside when the announcement came? For all she knows, I was walking back to my apartment and you were heading the other direction when the alarm sounded and I brought you inside.” Fiyero shrugged. 

“You’re quick.” She grinned. “I like it.” Elphaba grabbed a piece of paper off Fiyero’s desk and scribbled both their names down, along with his apartment number. She slid it just under the door without opening it. “I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I’m dead or missing, I suppose.”

“Maybe she’ll tell us if anyone is hurt or anything, and that can help resolve some of your anxiety about Glinda and the others.” Fiyero wanted to be reassuring.

She frowned. “Anxiety? I’m fine.”

“Right.” He didn’t argue. He knew she wouldn’t admit her worries again. “Regardless, it will at least let us know what’s going on.”

“I doubt she’ll say anything, anyway. She doesn’t like giving us information if she can help it. Note how little she mentioned about how the rest of Oz was doing other than the Wizard and his advisors,” Elphaba scoffed.

“We’ll just stay here and try to stay sane, then.” How he was going to stay sane when she was always with him, tempting him in ways she didn’t even realize, he wasn’t sure. “I have a chess and checkers along with some playing cards, but that’s it.”

“I’m going to finish all of your books in less than a week,” she muttered. “We’ll be fine, though. I’ll find something to occupy myself.”

He had plenty of ideas for how to occupy her, but he wasn’t certain she felt the same. Fiyero tore his eyes from her. She didn’t need the burden of his attraction if she didn’t return it, and he was never certain if she did. Even if she did feel some of the same chemistry, she probably wouldn’t act on it. As much as she pushed the boundaries of what was proper, he wasn’t sure this was a particular line she’d ever crossed or would be willing to cross. And maybe that was best.

She spent most of the day in a book. When she wasn’t reading, Elphaba got up and went to the window, staring at the haze outside as though she could see something in it. She clutched the windowsill so tightly at times her knuckles turned pale. Despite how little she wanted him to see it, it was obvious she was afraid. 

He was, too. While the chemical attacks may not have gone as far as the Vinkus, the political consequences would be much more far-reaching. And he had made friends here at Shiz, good friends, hopefully lifelong friends. He did not wish to see Oz further divided. 

It was late in the day when he spoke to her again. “Elphaba, you know you can talk to me, right?”

She closed the book she was looking through. “I do. I just don’t even know what to say.”

“Or don’t want to admit how upset you are?”

“Maybe a little.” She moved and tried to stand. “Ow. I should know better than to sit in the same position all day.” Elphaba winced, rubbing her back.

Instinctively, he moved toward her and moved his fingers over her shoulders. “Can I help?”

She turned her head to him, eyes wide. In the brown puddles of her eyes, he discovered both apprehension and desire, so powerful he almost stepped back. “Fiyero… that feels nice.”

He focused on her tense muscles and didn’t say anything, fearful of what might come out of his mouth if he spoke. It had been almost a reflex to try to comfort her - he hadn’t meant to cross a line. Men did not simply touch women like this in proper society, but he had wanted to help. Fiyero bit his lip as a soft noise escaped from her as he moved his hands down her back, releasing the tension he found there. She could kill him with that sound.

“Thank you,” she whispered, voice breathy as he finished. “I… You’re very good at that.” She turned around and looked at him.

Fiyero smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to just grab you like that, though.”

“I understand you were just trying to make me feel better. I didn’t mind. That helped.” Her face was so close to his, he could feel her breath on his skin as she spoke.

“I, um, I should figure out what we’ll eat for dinner,” he said quickly, moving away from her. Just over a full day with her and he was already losing his mind. This was going to be a difficult week.


	5. Chapter 5: Day Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba sees something unexpected. Fiyero asks Elphaba to open up. Elphaba does, with results neither of them expected.

**Chapter Five: Day Four**

Elphaba wasn’t ignorant to the sudden electricity that had begun pulsing between them. She wondered if she was lucky or unlucky to be stuck with the one person who would make her feel this alive. The next day, she kept herself in the corner, reading against the wall. Fiyero had made a strange face at her, but he’d generally avoided her as well. They had polite conversation, but neither one of them said anything of substance other than commenting that Madame Morrible’s morning address had been absolute drivel.

She took the bed that night, and found that she actually slept some. It was a troubled sleep, but better than it had been. Elphaba woke up feeling slightly refreshed, even. It seemed as though Fiyero was still buried in the pile of blankets on the floor, so she slipped quietly out of bed and carefully opened the bathroom door to clean up.

But Fiyero wasn’t in the pile of blankets. He was in the shower. Naked. He must’ve woken up before her. His eyes were closed as the water washed over his body. She should close the door carefully before he saw her. But for a moment, she was rooted to the spot, her eyes taking in his body. The diamonds were everywhere on him. His chest muscles were defined, and his abdomen led straight down to his…oh, sweet Oz.

She must’ve stood there for at least a full tick before she took her eyes off of him and backed away, carefully, nudging the door shut gently. Elphaba sank to the floor a few feet away and buried her face in her hands, the image of his perfect, naked body unshakeable. She hoped he hadn’t seen her or heard the door shut. She caught herself wishing that she weren’t allergic to water so that she could join him in that glistening water, touch him and…

The door opened and Fiyero was toweling off his hair, now fully dressed. How long had she been daydreaming? She shot up. “Good morning!”

He smiled at her easily, and she knew he hadn’t seen or heard her. That didn’t stop her from imagining it, but at least he didn’t know. “Did you sleep well?” He asked.

“Better than I have been.”

“That’s a good thing.”

She knew, however, that tonight, she wouldn’t sleep well. She’d be too busy picturing him, every inch of him, to fall asleep. And there was  _ a lot _ to picture. “What do you think Morrible will say today?” Elphaba tried desperately to distract herself.

“The same old shit,” Fiyero replied. “You were right. I don’t think she’ll tell us if anyone is missing or dead. It would make her look bad.”

Elphaba was drawn to the window again, as she was multiple times a day. She didn’t know why she let herself stare outside so long. Nothing changed. And they couldn’t see her dormitory from this side of the building, anyway. There was nothing to see. Once a few TikTok servants had tottered by, but that had been it. Was she staring at a post-apocalyptic wasteland? Or just the same place it had always been? She wondered if anything would even change after this. The Wizard would just continue to sow division, to “other” anyone who disagreed with him. He’d do the same to the rebels.

It continued to nag at her, though. Elphaba struggled to believe the rebels could have launched such an attack of this scale that would fail so miserably. If the goal had been to hurt people like Morrible or the Wizard, a large scale, generalized attack wouldn’t have made sense. She couldn’t believe the rebels didn’t have anyone inside the Wizard’s palace, either, that would’ve known about the shielding. 

When she went to the window for the third or fourth time that day, Fiyero came and stood beside her, looking out. “The haze doesn’t even look like it’s faded at all. I worry we’ll be here longer than a week.”

Any longer than a week and she might just jump in the shower with him to put herself out of the misery of wanting him. “How long do you think we can live like this?”

“Longer than you think. Now, how sane we might be is a whole different story. Those who are completely alone are likely to get a little crazy. At least we have each other for company.”

Trying not to squirm at the idea of being here for that long, she asked, “Do you think Morrible knows it’ll be longer and she’s just not telling us?”

“Possibly.” Fiyero sighed. “Look, I know you are worried, whether you admit it or not. But staring out this window clutching it for dear life is not helping you. It’s fine to look out the window, but you have got to relax. Think of it this way: we have no schoolwork. No obligations. And, for the moment, no answers. Why don’t we just lounge around? Maybe talk? Play a game?”

“Fine. Cards.” She sat down at the table. “And talk.”

“What do you want to talk about?” He asked as he grabbed the cards and sat across from her.

“I don’t know. Where’d the diamonds come from?” It was the first thing out of her mouth, but she regretted asking. The question made her picture him again, trying to count how many there were.

“It’s a rite of passage of sorts for men and women in the Arjiki tribe. We chose the tattoo. It can be one small or large tattoo, or a pattern.”

“And why diamonds, then?” She took the cards he dealt to her. They hadn’t even discussed a game or rules, but he didn’t have to. 

“Royalty. We were supposed to incorporate them somewhere in our tattoos. I just went a little over the top.”

She laughed. “Apparently. It doesn’t look bad, though.” She cleared her throat. “We? Did your whole family get them at the same time?”

“No. I have a younger brother, though. Younger by barely a year. I was thinking of him.”

“I didn’t know you had any siblings. What’s your brother’s name?”

“Ebino.”

“Are you two close?”

“Yes. What is this, an interrogation?” Fiyero threw a card on the table.

No, just a way to keep her from looking at him, or meeting his eyes, and falling in too deep. “I apologize. Sometimes I’m blunt.”

“I like your bluntness. But it was like rapid-fire questioning there.”

“I didn’t mean for it to be. Why don’t you ask me something, then?”

“Fine. Are you afraid?”

“Fiyero, that is  _ not _ fair.”

“Just admit it. It’s okay to be afraid, Elphaba. So are you?”

“Yes. I am. I’m fucking terrified, Fiyero. We don’t know who in Kumbrica is dead and we don’t know what kind of counter-attack might be planned and we don’t even know if any of this is true!” She threw her cards down. “And I’m trapped in this room with you, out of all people. It had to be you, didn’t it? Not Glinda, not my sister, but  _ you _ . I’m not supposed to be here, but I had to have my own little fucking rebellion and now I’m stuck here, away from anything familiar to me. You’re a little familiar, but I can barely feel comfortable here. I’m used to existing alone. It took me months to get used to living with Glinda. I feel on edge. And that’s not your fault.” Elphaba took a deep breath, not looking at him.

He put his cards down, too, and got up. “I’m sorry, Elphaba. You could’ve told me.”

“Why? What’s the point? You can’t fix any of it.”

“I realize that, but… I also know you’re on edge because I maybe look at you too much, and there’s this awkwardness between us that I think you’re well aware of.” 

She stood up and went back to the window, needing to get away from him. “Why do you even talk about it? Don’t. Please.”

“Elphaba, listen to me.”

“Why?” She hugged herself. “You saw me this morning, didn’t you? Is that what this is about?”

“Saw you? What do you mean?” He came up behind her, but not too close. 

She turned around to face him. “You know.”

“I don’t know,” he insisted.

She should’ve dropped it. Or maybe she could have lied. Instead, she took a step toward him and pressed her mouth against his. His reaction was instant, a hand on her waist, pulling her against him, the other cupping her cheek. 

His tongue moved against her lips and she opened them, letting him in. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her hips against him. Her mind and body were at odds within her. Her body wanted more. But her mind couldn’t stop screaming. Afraid she would drown in the kiss, she yanked away. “I can’t. I shouldn’t… I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not. Because  _ that’s _ what I was talking about, Elphaba. That’s the awkwardness.”

“Well, it’s going to stay awkward, Fiyero, because  _ that _ was a mistake. We can’t.”

“Don’t you think I know that? You kissed me, Elphaba. I didn’t kiss you.”

“You wanted to.”

“Of course I fucking wanted to! And I wanted us to talk about that. Because I know you wanted to, as well, which you just made abundantly clear. We’ve been dancing around it since we got stuck in here. I know that’s part of what scares you. It scares me, too.”

“Well, it’s out there now, so what did you want to say?”

“I was trying to tell you that I’ll try to be less… awkward.”

“A little late now.”

“And whose fault is that?” He demanded.

“You’re the one who shoved your tongue in my mouth.”

“You were  _ not _ complaining!”

Elphaba closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was not helping. And they were stuck here. Fighting with him over this, of all things, was not going to fix this. “You’re right. And I am sorry. It was just a moment. I gave into something I shouldn’t have. So did you. We’ll forget it.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think I can.”

“Try.”


	6. Chapter 6: Day Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Elphaba and Fiyero try to ignore the tension between them, they strike up a conversation and find even more in common than they had considered.

**Chapter Six: Day Five**

He hadn’t thought it would be Elphaba who gave into the tension. Now that she had, he could taste her. No drink or food would clear the taste of her from his lips and tongue. And he didn’t want it to. Fiyero wanted to taste her forever. However, that was proving to be a problematic distraction.

She ran out of books to read by midday the next day. This led to her scribbling furiously in her notebook for about an hour. Then she paced the room, inevitably going back to that window. “The haze is definitely fading.”

“I think so, too. I don’t think it’ll be gone by the end of the week, though.”

“Probably not.” Elphaba went back to pacing.

He tried not to watch her. Fiyero understood what she had meant when she said it was hard to be stuck with him. It wasn’t just about whatever little crush he had (or that she had). It was hard to learn to be truly alone with someone in a strange place. His apartment, while a safe and comfortable place for him, was not her home or a usual source of calm for her. His being there and her never truly being alone did not help, no matter who he was to her and what feelings might be held by either of them. That feeling for days on end could wear on a person.

However, when she had paced the room for over an hour, he spoke. “You’re going to wear a path in the floor at this point.”

She stopped and plopped onto his bed. “I’m sorry.”

“What can we do to keep that mind of yours occupied, Elphaba? How can I help?” They hadn’t spoken about the kiss all day, and he decided it best to keep it that way, at least for the moment. But it was always on his mind. Now, he knew how it felt to have her body close, how soft her lips were, and how sweet it was to hold her, even for a moment. He tried to push the thought away, but it was nagging.

“I’d give anything just to read the City paper like I used to, and that was the worst propaganda I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m not certain it’s being printed right now,” he replied simply. “Cards? Chess? Puzzles?”

“I could do a puzzle, I suppose.”

Fiyero cleared the table and found an unopened puzzle of the Vinkun mountains his parents had sent him, wanting him to remember home. It had seemed too special to open. However, now seemed the perfect time to finally open it.

They were silent, sorting through pieces quietly. It was a detailed and complex puzzle, for which Fiyero was grateful. It may help each of them take their minds off things for a while - his mind off of her, and hers off of whatever anxiety she was dwelling on. He wondered for a moment if she was replaying their kiss in her mind, as he was. He knew better than to ask.

After a while, she spoke. “I think my father and brother are fine, but if these attacks were on people of power, I wonder if my great-grandfather was in danger. Surely, they would’ve shielded his home, as well? Or does Munchkinland not matter? I mean, I’m sure they made sure to protect the Gillikinese nobles, but Munchkinland is poorer.”

Fiyero had barely worried at all for his family. Even as royalty, he knew no one would consider them dangerous. And they had very few ties with the Wizard, so why would rebels attack them? But Munchkinland was closer, though there were occasional spats between Munchkinland and the City. “I don’t know. Your great-grandfather is Eminent Thropp, yes?”

She nodded. “I’ve never really met him. He knows about me, but we’ve never actually been to see him. I always thought it was odd, since I’m to one day take his place. I think there might be some disagreements with my father, perhaps, that have kept us at a distance. I’d been considering trying to save up and visit during one of the holiday breaks, or even the summer. I’d like to know what I might be walking into one day.”

“Might be?”

“My mother never wanted it for me, apparently. She hated the responsibility. Then she went and died on me and gave it all to me, anyway. But I’m not sure if I want it, either.”

“What else could you do?”

“Step aside, I guess. But I don’t want it for Nessa. That would be bad for both her and Munchkinland. Her zealotry could be dangerous in that role. My rebelliousness could well be dangerous, as well, but I think I can control it, to an extent. It doesn’t matter, not yet.”

“What would happen, then, if some did happen to your great-grandfather?”

Elphaba sighed. “I don’t even truly know. I’m not sure if I’d be allowed to finish Shiz or if I’d have to go straight there. I wouldn’t feel confident doing that job, not yet. To be honest, since I’ve never met my grandfather, I’m not exactly worried that something might’ve happened to him so much as afraid of having to take on the job. Perhaps that is selfish.”

“It’s a perfectly valid fear,” he assured her. “I can understand that more than most.”

She gave him a small smile. “I would think so. It’s funny. We’re two people with no power, at least not yet, but who stand to inherit a decent amount of power, and here we are trapped together. We don’t even talk about that.”

“I don’t care to talk about my being the crown prince of the Arjiki tribe. It’s been drilled into me since I was born, Elphaba. And as you mentioned, it can be a burden, and it can be a little scary. I will shoulder the responsibility with pride when the time comes, but it isn’t quite as glamorous as most people think,” he admitted. Especially when he was prince of the poorest, least respected people in Oz. Before he had come to Shiz, it had been made clear that he was going to be on display. He needed to impress everyone at all times, to prove his people weren’t all savages. 

“I can sympathize. And you being here isn’t any easier for you, is it? It’s like you’re the representative of your entire culture.”

He gaped at her. How had she known exactly what had gone through his mind? How he felt? “You, uh, you got that right.”

“While I am from Munchkinland, no one looks at me as a typical Munchkin, so I’m spared that particular pressure. But it has occurred to me that it must be strange. I remember the whispers when you first arrived. Many of the students here had never seen a Vinkun before. I hadn’t, either. Your skin, the tattoos…” Elphaba trailed off.

Did she have to look at him like that? He knew most people were bothered by his differentness, but this girl was intrigued and even entranced by it. And the desire in those pools of cinnamon that made up her eyes was absolutely melting him. 

She blinked, flushed and looked away. “Sorry.”

“No, don’t be. People must be intrigued by your skin, too.”

“Mostly disgusted,” she laughed.

“Not me.”

“Thank you,” she murmured. “But yours is different. At least you aren’t alone. When you go home, people don’t stare at you there for your otherness, because you’re not an “other” there.”

“And you are.”

“My father still looks at me with abject horror sometimes, and it’s only sometimes the offensive things I say.” She swiped at a strand of hair that had fallen from her braid. “Not that I care. I don’t.”

He wanted to correct her.  _ You don’t  _ want _ to care. _ But last time he’d cornered her, things had gotten uncomfortably heated, so he figured he’d let her get there on her own. The conversation they’d just had was fairly personal, after all. He hadn’t expected her to offer up so much information. He wanted to hold her or comfort her, but that was something she didn’t truly need, and maybe didn’t want, either. 

“This conversation got depressing fairly quickly, wouldn’t you say?” She grabbed for a puzzle piece. “I didn’t mean for that.”

“I know. It’s fine. You and I know life isn’t always rainbows and happiness.”

“It’s not. I don’t know that it ever has any of that.”

“Now  _ that _ is a little dark.” He pointed out.

“It is, yes. I think it’s just all of this,” she gestured toward the window, “is getting to me. It’s a pretty bleak thing we’re living through right now, isn’t it?”

“It might be the bleakest I’ve seen, yes.” But it was hard to feel like everything was terrible when she was here. As much as she could brood and grumble, she also had a fire within her that warmed those around her. “But it’s not the end of the world. It won’t be.”

“I know.” She met his eyes. “I am glad I’m stuck with you.”

“Oh? You were upset about it the other day.”

“Not  _ you _ , necessarily, just anyone other than my sister or Glinda. But you have respected me and kept up with me. You’ve talked through this with me. I can appreciate that in your mind, I’ve found a kindred spirit. And that helps, Fiyero, it really does. I never meant to seem ungrateful. I’m the one taking up your space.”

“I’m glad it is you, too, though. Think about who else either of us could’ve been stuck with. Avaric? Boq?”

“I think I might’ve gone insane by now,” Elphaba laughed.

“Same here.”

Finally, he felt like they were somewhere. He didn’t know quite where they were, but they were together. And for the moment, that was all that really mattered.


	7. Chapter 7: Day Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding out they'll be stuck in Fiyero's apartment for at least another week, Elphaba decides to stop fighting her feelings for Fiyero.

**Chapter Seven: Day Seven**

This crush, or lust, whatever it was, had gone too far. Before all of this, she’d been able to keep her little attraction to him at bay, to ignore it or dismiss it as unrequited and pathetic. Now, she had tempted fate by coming here alone and there was no turning back. Elphaba knew that. And that didn’t seem quite so terrible anymore.

Days were easier when they could talk, and share their lives with one another. And on the morning of the seventh day when Madame Morrible told them it would likely be another week, she didn’t panic at all. At least she was here, and at least she was safe. But something was missing, and she wasn’t sure how to find it.

Fiyero washed her clothes for her. She wasn’t able to do her own wash without her special gloves, which were at her apartment. She tossed them in a basin of water and he finished it for her. It had made her flush with heat, at first, the thought of him handling her undergarments, but it was a necessity and she had to adjust to it. She wondered if he’d feel equally embarrassed if he knew she’d seen him in the shower…

“Do you think it’ll be over at the end of next week?” He asked after the announcement.

“I’m not sure. I think it won’t be longer than three weeks. I’m not sure about two.” Elphaba stood at the window, studying the air outside. “It looks better, it really does. But I don’t know if the air looking clear will mean real safety.”

“Good point.”

She forced herself to shut the curtains, for once. He had been right days ago when he’d been concerned about the way she’d stared out the window, her grip so tight on the windowsill she sometimes went numb.

Fiyero raised his eyebrows. “The curtains have not been closed the whole time you’ve been here.”

“I needed to break the habit,” she shrugged. “Maybe it’ll help.”

“I’m impressed.”

She moved back to the table, where the puzzle still sat, nearly finished now. Elphaba was inexplicably sad at the thought of finishing it. What would they do once it was completed? Break it apart and start again? Play cards? “Tell me something.”

“Anything.”

“Much of Oz sees your people as savages. I don’t see it. I never have. Then again, they talk similarly about the Quadlings and I never felt that they were any less human. What is it that those ridiculously pompous idiots in the Capitol and the City have taken issue with?”

“Ah, Elphaba, blunt as ever.” He laughed.

“I apologize. I meant it as a compliment.”

“I know. I’m not at all offended. I understand you well enough by now. To be honest, there’s less schooling, more hunting. And before you ask, we don’t kill Animals. I promise. There’s also not as much concern around being proper. We don’t act formal. Sex is not taboo, even outside of marriage. Our technology isn’t as advanced, and not necessarily by choice, but because no one bothers to help us update it. And yes, royal marriages are arranged. I’ve been trying to get that changed for a few years now, but it may not happen until I have my own children.”

She cocked her head. “You’ve never acted like you didn’t want it.” Elphaba chose to ignore the part about sex. The very mention of it had put thoughts in her head that she’d been unsuccessfully fighting for days now. 

“I’m honestly unsure about it. I don’t like that I am not given the choice, and my future bride isn’t, either. I’d like more consideration to go into whether or not we’ll even be compatible, at least. You can’t know that at five, when these things are decided.”

“That’s true.” Elphaba paused, thinking. “You know, I don’t see what it is, then, that makes you lesser than us in anyone’s eyes. Then again, I do. You  _ look _ different. Like the Animals. That’s enough for the Wizard and his cronies. I’m sure if I were an entire race of people, they’d do the same to me.”

“Well, you’re just you.”

Elphaba stared at the puzzle again. Over most of the day, she figured out where each piece went in her mind, but never touched the pieces to actually move them. She didn’t have to heart to. The image on the puzzle was absolutely beautiful, a piece of true nature. Fiyero had told her he’d grown up only miles from the mountains the puzzle depicted. Munchkinland paled in comparison, dull farmland. Quadling country had been smoky, even sooty, especially during the atrocities in the ruby mines. 

After dinner, Fiyero studied the puzzle again. “I thought we’d have finished this by now.”

“I can’t.”

“Why? Is there a piece missing?”

She shook her head. “It’s too beautiful.”

In a whisper he responded, “So are you.”

She turned to him, finding he was only within a breath of her. Elphaba closed the distance swiftly, pressing her lips to his. “Fiyero,” she breathed, pulling back and looking up at him.

“What?” His hands were traveling down her sides, resting finally on either side of her waist. “Elphaba?”

“I want you.” She ran her fingers slowly down his chest.

“Elphaba…” He groaned, grabbing her hand before it got lower.

“Don’t. I know. But I don’t care. In a week or two, I don’t care what happens. I need this. Now. I promise I won’t regret this in the morning.” She needed human connection, true connection, and there was more to that than talking. End of the world or not, she didn’t care anymore. “And I know you want it, too.”

“Want? I’ve been dying for it.” He lifted her gently and deposited her on his bed. “I’ve tried so hard to ignore the way I felt, Elphaba.”

“So did I. What’s the point? Oz could be in a Civil War for all we know. But right now, in this room, it’s you and me and I’m tired of acting proper.” She drew him close by his shirt, unbuttoning it eagerly. “Please.”

“You don’t have to beg,” he promised. Fiyero kissed her again, searing her lips with his blazing kisses. The heat burned through her to her core. He pulled her into his lap as he shrugged out of his shirt and began to unhook her dress as he continued kissing her.

She ground her hips against his and straddled him, groping at his skin, desperate to pull him closer. Her heart raced as she felt his need against her, and she gasped as he began kissing down her jaw, peppering kisses down to the hollow of her neck and stopping for a moment to suck there, making her writhe against him. 

“I need to get you out of that dress. Now.” Fiyero rolled over her and pulled the dress down her body before dipping in for another kiss. “I want to taste your skin.” He moved his lips down, rounding the curve of her breasts as he removed her bra. “You feel like you’re on fire.”

“You’ve made me that way,” she breathed, sliding her hands down his chest and unfastening his pants. She tugged them down as he shifted to help her remove them.

His kisses reached her navel and his hands were at the waistband of her panties. She ground her hips against him, frantic with the need for his touch. Fiyero obliged, slipping his hand inside her panties and cupping her. The touch shot through her like electricity and she hissed, her hips jerking. His finger ran across her opening, then teased her sweet nub and she threw her head back, breathless. 

When he finally slid a single finger inside her, she mewled with delight. “Fiyero,” she murmured, shifting her body to invite him in. “Oh, Fiyero.” She gasped when his fingers left her, tugging her panties all the way off her body and then swiftly removing his shorts. But instead of mounting her, he lowered his lips and began to taste her. His tongue probed, slowly at first. His lips teased against her and she arched her back to him. Hot kisses burned her flesh, and a finger slid inside her, rocking her into a climax beyond belief. 

She was delirious with pleasure as he moved back up her body, positioning himself at her entrance. Fiyero kissed her lips again, letting her taste herself. Her legs fell open and he pushed in with a satisfied groan. “Sweet Oz,” he breathed, pistoning himself deeper. 

Elphaba wrapped her legs around his waist, meeting his first thrust with her own arched back. She squealed as he reached deeper within her, her eyes closing as their bodies moved together. She ran her fingers up his back, the other hand clutching the sheets beneath them to ground her as their movements sped. Her body felt small beneath his, and he quickly dragged her into a shattering climax.

Fiyero braced a hand against the headboard, the other grasping hers and pinning it to the pillow above her head as he rode through her release, locking eyes with hers. He continued to plunge himself into her as she continued to open for him, trembling as she squeezed his hand. His lips found hers again as he drove so deep she moaned into his mouth from the intensity. 

She was barely conscious of her own actions, but she was meeting his hard, near-painful thrusts with her own, scratching a hand down his back. Her body began to twitch with pleasure again as he plowed deeper and deeper with each movement and she gave way to her next climax as he began to slow, spasming inside her.

He held himself over her for a moment, the other hand still tightly grasping hers. Fiyero pressed a slow kiss to her lips. He didn’t speak - she wasn’t sure he could, and she certainly couldn’t. 

She gasped, trying to catch her breath. Her body slowly stopped tingling and she shifted her hips, allowing him to pull back for a moment. Elphaba looked at him and thought about saying something, anything, but there were no words for what they had just done. 

Fiyero rolled to the side and drew her close, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, her chin, her lips… They fell back against the pillows and she curled against him. She traced the diamonds on his skin until she fell into a sweet, delicious sleep.


	8. Chapter 8: Day Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba and Fiyero deal with their newfound intimacy.

**Chapter Eight: Day Eight**

They were both still asleep when Madame Morrible’s voice boomed through the room with her daily message. Fiyero’s eyes shot open and he looked to Elphaba, lying beside him. She met his eyes and gave him a small smile. 

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOOD MORNING. I HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THE STAFF AND YOUR PROFESSORS. I’D LIKE TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS _.”_

Madame Morrible’s voice in his room at this moment felt intrusive in a way it hadn’t before. Fiyero sat up a little as Elphaba rubbed her eyes.

“ONCE WE BEGIN CLASSES AGAIN, IN A WEEK OR TWO, YOUR CLASSWORK WILL BE KEPT TO THE SAME STANDARD. WE WILL ADD A WEEK ONTO THE END OF THE YEAR, AS WELL AS SHORTENING THE TWO-WEEK SPRING HOLIDAYS TO ONE WEEK. YOU WILL STILL RECEIVE EXACTLY THE EDUCATION YOU AND YOUR PARENTS HAVE PAID FOR.”

“Is anyone even concerned about that right now?” Elphaba muttered.

“I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL ARE TAKING ALL PRECAUTIONS AND YOUR SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY. I KNOW THIS IS A TRIAL, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF YOU LOCKED IN THE LIBRARY OR VISITING A FRIEND, BUT KEEP YOUR HEAD A LITTLE LONGER. THIS MISERY WILL SOON BE OVER. THANK YOU.”

“Miserable visiting a friend?” Elphaba raised her eyebrows at him. “I think it’s gone beyond that, wouldn’t you say?”

“Way beyond,” he agreed. 

“So, anyway, good morning,” Elphaba said simply..

“Good morning,” he replied as he rolled so he was facing her. “Should we talk?”

“About what? Last night? It was fun. I’m more than happy to do that again. What else do we need to say? I mean, Fiyero, you know what this is. I know most people would find our behavior questionable, but I’m not judging and neither are you.”

Now, he gave himself a moment to breathe. They both knew this was just temporary, even if they hadn’t explicitly discussed it. While yes, there were feelings there, this had also been a way of seeking comfort in an unfamiliar world. When they were finally allowed to leave this room, whatever this had been would be over. She’d made that clear. 

He’d thought about asking her last night if she needed him to go slow, or if she had experience at all in this area, but he’d caught himself. Elphaba would resent those questions. Besides, he could read her body and her eyes, and he had. She had been fierce, and wild. Still, it had been even more passionate than he’d expected. 

Realizing he hadn’t responded to her, he said, “I know, but can I ask one thing?” He decided to drop the awkwardness and get to a different question, one he probably should’ve asked last night.

“Sure.”

“You’re not in danger of ending up in the family way, are you?”

“Nope. I’m fairly good at math, Fiyero, and logic. While I may not have been tracking anything or expecting anything to happen, I know my body well enough to figure things out quickly. I knew we were safe before I said anything about wanting you last night. I wouldn’t put you or myself in that situation.”

“I thought as much. I just wanted to make sure.”

“Trust me, I won’t pop out your bastard kid in nine months or whatever. As much fun as this is, I wouldn’t risk it. There are other ways to be careful, you know, that involve you.”

“I figured you’d tell me if you needed me to do that.”

“I would. And you didn’t - you don’t. If that changes, I’ll let you know. But I need to clean up. I can clean up out here if you want to shower.” Elphaba threw the sheet off of her and started standing up.

Fiyero eyed her body for a moment. “Speaking of the shower, actually, that has me thinking. You know I know you saw me the other day, right? When I was in the shower?”

Her eyes went wide. “You _knew_?”

“I knew you were there. I heard the door open. I thought you’d gasp and slam the door, but you watched me, didn’t you?” He teased.

“I… I couldn’t help it.” Her cheeks flushed a little.

“Oh trust me, it took everything in me not to invite you right in with me. That and the fact that I know you’re allergic to water.”

“Sweet Oz, I wanted to just jump in…” She licked her lips.

“Next time, say something and I’ll get out and we can do whatever you want. Maybe we can use your oils, instead, since you can’t join me. I’ll join you.”

Her eyes lit up. “Well, you know, we could do that right now.”

He pulled her to him. “It’s like you read my mind.”

Elphaba pulled back to grab her oils and then bit her lip. “I’ve never… I mean, I’ve never cleaned someone else, really. Or let anyone else help me.”

Fiyero cocked his head at her. After everything, this is what made her uneasy? She’d opened her body to him the previous night, but she was nervous about him rubbing oil on her? “We can go slow. And it doesn’t have to lead to…”

“Oh, no, I want it to lead to that.” Elphaba laughed. “I’m just a little sensitive, even to the oil sometimes.”

“Why don’t you start with me, then, and show me?”

She licked her lips. “I can do that.” Elphaba poured a small bit of oil on her hands and smoothed them together. She moved one smooth hand at the base of his neck and shoulder, and slowly moved down his arm. The oil was warm in her hands, and her touch was feathery soft. He closed his eyes as she put her other hand on the other side of his neck and did the same. 

“That feels nice,” he murmured as she reached his hands. She took one hand in both of hers, smoothing oil into his palms and knuckles before switching to the other. A kiss fluttered at his lips and he opened his eyes again.

She poured a little more oil into each and and began slowly running her hands along his checks, massaging his skin. Her eyes were concentrated on him as she whispered oil along his skin, moving downward. Instead of going where he thought, eagerly, that she might be going, she grabbed more oil and moved to his legs. When he caught her eye, she merely raised an eyebrow and grinned. “I don’t need oil for that,” she told him. “Just a moment.”

He was hard by then, and as she rubbed up and down his legs, he was ready to practically beg her to grab him. Instead, her tongue poked out and ran along the tip. “Sweet Oz.”

“I told you I didn’t need oil. I can clean you up just fine.” She took him into her mouth then, cupping behind him with her hands. She moved first at a leisurely pace until he thrust towards her a little. She followed his lead and sped up her movements, her tongue working magic on him. 

He pulled back a bit, realizing something. “My turn to do you,” he panted.

There was a nervous flicker in her gaze, but as she stood she smiled at him. “Please, go ahead.”

He took the bottle of oil she offered and spread a small amount in his hands, following the same path she did. Her head fell back as he touched her, and he kissed her neck as he rubbed the oil down her arms. Fiyero moved to her belly, skipping over her breasts for a moment, knowing they would tempt him. He continued kissing her, moving across her lips. She wrapped her arms about him as he finally touched her breasts, gasping with delight as he caressed them. Like she had, he skipped between her legs at first and went to her feet, then moving upward until he found himself at the juncture of her thighs. She gasped again as he teased her, her legs opening, her body pushing toward him.

“You’re being awfully thorough,” she whispered, mewling at his touch as he slid two fingers inside her, his thumb rubbing her sweet nub.

“You like that?” He breathed against her.

“Yes.” She was clutching him tightly, arms pressed behind his neck. “Please, yes.”

Fiyero stopped, lifting her in his arms and placing her on the bed. “I’m just going to get us both all messy again.”

“Please.” She begged again. “I want you.” 

He climbed over her, working his hands again. “Let me watch you first.”

“Oh, Fiyero…” Her legs were wide open, her hips pressing against his hand as he slid another finger inside her. “Yes! Please…” Her eyes squeezed shut and her body pulsed around his fingers. That look on her face was absolute heaven.

“There we go,” he murmured.

Elphaba opened her eyes again, and she grinned wickedly, pushing him away. She rolled over and pushed him beneath her. “No more distractions.”

He ran his hands over her hips as she took him into her. As her soft skin warmed around him, he groaned. “I could do this all day.”

“Good. That was the plan.”


	9. Chapter Nine: Day Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba and Fiyero take a break and spend some time opening up to one another.

**Chapter Nine: Day Ten**

It was constant sex. They were both insatiable, and they barely stopped to sleep or eat. The floodgates had opened, and there was no point in closing them. No one else would ever know, so why not?

“I am so sore,” she murmured after two days of his constant attentions. “Let’s take a break for a few hours.”

Fiyero fell back against his pillow. “Good idea.”

It had been two days of barely talking. Other than offering food or a “good night” before bed, they’d been more encompassed in the physical than in the verbal. But Elphaba found that while her body ached, she wasn’t sleepy. So she turned to conversation. “Tell me more about what being Crown Prince and eventually king entails, Fiyero. You’ve mentioned that, like Eminent Thropp, it could be a burden. Why?”

“Why? I’d be in charge of an entire tribe of people, Elphaba.” Fiyero sat up and propped his head on his hand. “I… I’m not a king. My brother would be much better, and I’ve always thought so.”

“Really? I suppose my problem is the opposite. Nessarose would not be better. She’d be a zealot in a powerful position, and easily manipulated. I love her, but that definitely scares me. It has to be me. I’m more logical. I’m not sure I love it, but it’s my responsibility. And maybe with that amount of power, I could do something good.”

Fiyero shook his head. “That’s good, Elphaba, and that’s a great way to look at it. But my people, Elphaba, they need help. The Vinkus needs more infrastructure, but we’re ignored by business and the City for the most part. They think we’re savage. I have no way to save them from that.”

“I’m sure they don’t expect you to, Fiyero,” she said gently. However, she realized that his job would likely be more difficult than hers. Munchkinland was respected by most parts of Oz (although Gillikin often thought themselves superior). They had infrastructure, even if most of the land was farming. Munchkinland was not exactly rich like Gillikin, but not poor to the degree the people of the Vinkus must be. Elphaba placed a hand over his. “You may not magically solve every problem, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be a good king.”

“I don’t want to be a king at all. I know my brother is better for it. He just wasn’t born first. But he should have it. He should have Sarima, have the throne, the responsibility, the education…”

“Is he not going to college?”

“He’s doing some correspondence courses. He wants to come to Shiz. I’m hoping maybe next year.”

“And,” Elphaba took a deep breath, “Sarima, is that…?”

“My future wife,” he sighed. “Yes.”

“What is she like?”

“This is the conversation we’re having naked in my bed right now?” Fiyero raised his eyebrows at her.

She shrugged. “We know this is temporary. We’re just having fun. I have no delusions of love or marriage. So, yes, we’re having this conversation.”

He laughed. “Fair enough. I don’t really know what she’s like. She’s three years younger than I am. I’ve seen her once, but she was eight, so that was quite some time ago.”

“Three years younger?”

“Marriages usually happen at eighteen. But since I’m at Shiz, I can’t marry at that age. However, my bride will be that age, yes.”

“Are all Vinkun marriages arranged? And how do they decide?”

“No. Most marriages are not. Just the crown prince. And that’s up to the royal family. I think my parents chose Sarima because her family is known for beauty.”

Elphaba was quiet for a moment. She was not jealous, but it was strange to think that Fiyero was going to have some perfectly beautiful wife and here he was sleeping with  _ her _ . “And you’re just okay with getting married to a stranger?”

“It’s been something my family has done for hundreds of years, Elphaba. I was raised knowing it was my life. It’s not a matter of being okay with it or not.” Fiyero rested a hand beneath her cheek. “But I’m not completely okay with it. I’ve accepted it.”

She looked away from his intense gaze. “Of course. And apparently, you have your fun before marriage?”

“A little, yes. I thought I was done with any of that, but then all of this. And you’re absolutely irresistible, Elphaba.”

“Me?” She bit her lip. “I couldn’t spend one more minute in this room without touching you, Fiyero.”

“It’s mutual, then. I suppose it was intensified by the lockdown.”

“Certainly. It’s not as if this was more than mere attraction.”

“Maybe a little crush,” he admitted. 

“A little,” she agreed. “Nothing we ever saw going anywhere. And nothing that would’ve gone anywhere if it wasn’t for this.”

“You came over here, though.”

“I did. And you have a point. I didn’t just do it because I like to be a rebel, although I certainly do. There was something thrilling about it. I knew nothing would happen, but the fact that we were unsupervised, that in some little fantasy it could happen, it excited me.” Elphaba met his eyes again. “I may seem like a good girl, but the things that go on in my mind… I’m anything but.”

“And I’m extremely grateful for that.” He kissed her. “This was not anything like I expected, but I’m not complaining, by any means. And I’ll be honest, I’d rather be locked down with you than anyone else, or even alone.”

She felt her cheeks heat. “I think perhaps I can identify with that feeling.” But even now, she wanted her isolation. Elphaba had always needed that. She had been glad that Glinda was such a social butterfly, because she had enough time to herself. Fiyero had been good at giving her space here, but he was  _ always _ there. Of course, he had to be. It would’ve been the same if she’d been in her dorm with Glinda, Nanny and Nessa. In fact, it likely would’ve been worse.

“And what about you, Eminent Thropp-to-be? What are your responsibilities?”

“Probably just settle minor disputes and continue communication with the City. Once, many years ago, an Eminent Thropp tried to secede from Oz. Not enough of the people were behind that, though, and it fell through. There wasn’t even a war. And there  _ are _ other Eminences in Munchkinland, you know, my family’s is just the largest.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“It almost sounds dull. And the Wizard… he’s also got his eyes on me. For what, I’m not really sure. Glinda, too.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“It’s complicated.” And she never felt as though she could truly speak about it, though it haunted her. “It’s from when we went to the City.”

“In the fall?”

She nodded. “It was a mess.”

“That was when Ama Clutch officially passed, yes?”

“It was.” Elphaba wiped her eyes, though she wasn’t crying. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not really sure what the future holds for me at all. I’ll probably be Eminent Thropp, if for no other reason than the fact that Nessa isn’t qualified. I don’t know that I  _ am _ qualified, but I’m more qualified than she is.”

“You’re perfectly qualified, Elphaba. You care deeply about others. You want to protect Munchkinland from Nessa. And you’re incredibly intelligent. You’ll be fine.”

She smiled at him. “You’re sweet. Thank you.”

“Will you have to marry? Have a child?”

“I’m not sure. I’d say the responsibility could go to my siblings of having a child, but Nessa will never marry, since she is ‘married to the Unnamed God,’ as she says. And my brother is young yet. However, I don’t think I truly want a marriage, in some ways. The one thing I do love about Munchkinland is that women do have a little more power. My position is passed mostly matrilineally. Women are leaders just as much as men. Anywhere else, that’s simply not how it is. But as usual, even in Munchkinland, we have our ‘weaknesses,’ and things we’re expected to do. We have to be virginal and good and cook, clean and have children.”

“Virginal?” Fiyero gave her a look.

“Like I’ve made clear, I’m a rebel. But I could be in major trouble if anyone found out I was rebelling in this particular area. I trust you, though.”

“Your secret is safe with me. It’s a ridiculous expectation, though, and seems to only be for women.”

“Now you see where I’m coming from!” Elphaba grinned. He understood her better than she thought anyone could. “Women are told that sex is wrong outside of marriage, and that it’ll hurt and get them in trouble. There are some women who don’t truly understand what sex even is. It’s worrisome. My mother, of course, took care of telling me that much before she passed. She was… a rebel in her way, too. My Nanny always scorns her, but I’m never sure if she was as bad as Nanny wants me to believe.”

“I like the rebel in you, Elphaba. It’s what makes you  _ you _ .”

She liked him quite a bit, too.


	10. Chapter Ten: Day Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as Fiyero and Elphaba grow closer, the lockdown comes to an end.

**Chapter Ten: Day Eleven**

He was entranced by her. Before all this, she had merely been a lingering attraction, an unrequited thought. Now, she was inescapable and he found himself wishing, desperately, that this little rendezvous would never end. It had to, of course, and every time Morrible reminded them that there were probably mere days left, he cringed.

“Does it feel weird to you, having Morrible’s voice intruding into your room?” Elphaba asked after the daily announcement, sitting up in bed and stretching.

He raised an eyebrow. “Not the first few days, but once you were naked in my bed, yes.”

“Yeah, it feels a bit uncomfortable. Like she’s watching us. But luckily she only does that once a day. It’s just some stupid amplification spell.” Elphaba shrugged.

“But she does know you’re in here. You put your name down.”

“We agreed on a story, though, didn’t we?” 

“Of course. You were walking by the building just as I was heading inside. I grabbed you so you’d be safe and we holed up in here chastley.”

“Exactly.” She sighed. “It’s a flimsy lie, but it’ll work. I’m not even sure I’ll tell Glinda that much. I might tell her I was locked in the library. If I tell her I was here, there might be questions.”

“What do you mean?”

“Glinda always thought there was something between us. I told her over and over again that there wasn’t, but she never believed me.”

“I think she had a point.” Fiyero pointed out, laughing.

“No! I mean, she did, but I think she thought it was deeper than… than this.”

He noticed that she was looking slightly to the side of him, not meeting his eyes. “I see what you mean.” He wasn’t sure he did, but he understood that this was more complicated than they would ever discuss. Feelings of anything more than attraction were not meant to be a part of it. They couldn’t be.

“So I might just lie. It doesn’t matter to her, anyway.”

“Elphaba,” he paused, considering. “I… I know when this whole chemical attack and everything has settled, we won’t do this anymore. But, if you ever needed to sneak over here or something, I wouldn’t turn you down.”

She grinned at that. “I know you wouldn’t. But we shouldn’t.”

He tried not to be hurt by that. “Right.”

“No one can catch us now because no one is out and about. Any other time, it would just be too risky,” she said. “It’s nothing about you.”

“I realize that.”

“Because I’d do this everyday if I could.” Elphaba pulled him to her, kissing him. “I’m going to miss it desperately.”

He kissed her back, pressing his body against hers. “So will I.” He tugged her waist closer. “I will remember every part of your body.”

She reached between them, grabbing him. “I’ll remember every last  _ inch _ of yours, too.”

He slid his hands along her abdomen, reveling in the feel of her sweet, smooth skin. Fiyero drew his hands lower, opening her legs. “I want to remember how you taste.” He kissed down her neck as he teased a finger along her folds. 

“Fiyero,” she murmured, jerking beneath him. “You’re not fair.”

He continued kissing down, along her collar and to her breasts, his tongue flicking out to tease her nipples into hardened peaks as he pushed a finger inside her. He didn’t spend much time there, though, moving further down over her ribs, her stomach, and finally burying his face between her legs, inhaling her scent, her taste. 

“Oh!” She clutched the sheets beneath her as he went to work. 

He couldn’t get enough. He teased her sensitive nub with his tongue as he buried another finger inside her, thrusting in and out rhythmically, listening to her breath change as she gasped. She was close and he could taste it, so he pushed her up and over as she cried out softly, hips moving against his mouth.

“Mmm,” she murmured, coming down.

“See? That’s what I want to remember.”

“Anything else you want to remember?” Elphaba wiggled beneath him, smiling.

He climbed back up her body. “Everything,” he answered. 

She licked her lips. “Then show me.”

He was inside her in seconds, her legs wrapping around him. Fiyero loved the way her skin felt as it surrounded him, the way her body responded to him instantly. In seconds, their breathing was in sync, as were their movements. She pulled him closer, took him deeper. She was everything for him in those moments.

When it was over, they lay together quietly and he ran his hand through her hair. He kissed her again and again, until they joined once more. The whole day went by like that, and the next. And the next day, they woke up to the announcement he’d been dreading.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE DO BELIEVE THAT TOMORROW, WE WILL ALL SAFELY BE ABLE TO RETURN TO OUR WORLD. I ASK THAT YOU WAIT PATIENTLY AND WHEN THE TIME COMES, RETURN TO YOUR LIVING QUARTERS POSTHASTE SO WE MAY TAKE ROLL AND MAKE SURE ALL ARE ACCOUNTED FOR. I WILL MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AROUND THIS TIME TOMORROW.”

Fiyero and Elphaba looked at one another for a long time before either of them spoke. Elphaba got out of the bed, walked over to the window, “It looks normal,” she said softly.

Neither of them had looked through the window in days. He still didn’t care to. All he could think was that he didn’t want her to go, that another full day was all he had and it wasn’t enough. But he knew better than to say that aloud. “Really? That’s good. I suppose we’ll get more answers tomorrow, maybe.”

“I doubt we’ll get the truth from Morrible.” She turned back to him. “It’ll be nice to see Nessa, Nanny and Glinda.”

“Of course. And I ought to write to my family, let them know I am alive and make sure everyone there is well.”

“I’ll need to find out if anything happened in Munchkinland.”

And so it would be, in twenty-four short tick tocks. They’d both be back to their obligations and lives. He should be happy about that. There had been an attack; he was lucky to survive. But he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of sadness.

Elphaba broke the silence. “But that’s tomorrow. It’s still today.” She sat back down beside him. “And perhaps we should enjoy the rest of our time?”

He didn’t need to be told what she meant.

The next morning, though, he felt her get out of bed. He knew she had tried to be silent about it. They still had some time before the announcement. Fiyero stayed in bed, quietly listening as she gathered her things. He fought the temptation to get out and beg her to rejoin him in the bed. They both had other responsibilities that would soon take over.

The announcement came right on time, and they didn’t even look at one another as Morrible spoke. “PLEASE ALL STUDENTS RETURN TO YOUR RESIDENCE HALLS SO THAT WE MAY ACCOUNT FOR EVERYONE. DO NOT PAUSE TO VISIT FRIENDS OR CHECK ON ANYONE. GO STRAIGHT BACK. CHECK-INS WILL BEGIN IN THIRTY TOCKS.”

Elphaba stood still for a moment after the announcement, her eyes on the floor. She held her bag and chewed her lip.

“I grabbed you and brought you inside, just like we agreed,” he said softly. He didn’t know what else to say. “Nothing untoward happened.”

“Right.”

“But if anyone other than Morrible asks, I was here alone and you were trapped in the library, not that I’d even know that part.”

“Exactly.” Her eyes finally met his. “Fiyero, this… If I had to be locked in a room with someone, I’d rather it be you than anyone else.”

“Even Glinda? Or Nessa?”

She nodded, her cheeks flushing.

“The feeling is mutual,” he assured her. Fiyero considered kissing her goodbye, but perhaps that was too intimate? Instead he took her hand. “I enjoyed having you.”

“I should hope so,” she laughed.

“I meant having you here. Not… well, that too.”

“I know what you meant.” A pause. “I should go. She said thirty tocks.”

“Elphaba…” Fiyero stopped her before she walked out the door. “I meant it when I said I’ll never forget this.”

“Neither will I,” she promised.

And with that, she was gone.


	11. Chapter 11: After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba becomes frustrated with the lack of answers she gets once lockdown ends.

**Chapter Eleven: After**

“Elphie, Sweet Oz! I’m so glad you’re okay! I didn’t even know where you’d gone.” Glinda engulfed Elphaba in a hug as soon as she walked in the door. “Where were you? I worried. I thought maybe…” The blonde squeezed tighter, clutching Elphaba.

“Glinda, let her speak.” Nessarose was waiting for her, too.

She felt flush with relief, seeing Nessa, Nanny and Glinda. “I will admit to being worried, too. I was in the library. I locked myself in one of those small study rooms alone for the most part, other than food. It was lonely, but I had plenty to read.”

Nessa grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Oh, I’m so happy.”

“Do you have any idea what happened?” Glinda asked.

“No more than what Morrible told us. That little announcement thing she did was creepy, by the way. It felt like she was right there. And I did  _ not _ appreciate that.” Elphaba placed her bag on her bed. “Glinda, I thought you might’ve gone to tea already and…”

“No, no. I’m fine.” Glinda assured her. “And so are you. Do you think we’ll be able to write to our families? Is the mail running now?”

“I’m sure that will all be clarified in due time,” Elphaba replied, sitting down on her bed. “This has been an ordeal, hasn’t it?” Although it had not felt much like an ordeal at all, looking back on it. 

“There’s still so much we don’t know,” Nanny spoke, finally. “I imagine much will be answered in the coming days, as you said.” The old woman simply put a hand on Elphaba’s shoulder before walking to Nessa. “Now that we know you’re safe, I think you’ll want to get cleaned up after being trapped in a room by yourself for so long.”

Elphaba swallowed. All her clothes were clean. She was clean. “I mean, I was able to clean some, just not laundry,” she lied.

Nanny simply nodded, eying her for a moment before pushing Nessa out of the room and closing the door.

“Oh thank Oz,” Glinda muttered as soon as the door shut. “All Nessa would do the  _ entire _ time was read from the Book of the Unnamed God and I thought I was going to lose my mind.”

Elphaba bit back a smile. She really had been lucky being stuck with Fiyero, because it certainly sounded like being stuck in her own room would’ve been torture. “Did she at least leave you alone some, too?”

“After a few days. But she was so worried about you. She wouldn’t stop talking about that, either. And at one point, you’ll laugh at this, she made a comment saying that if you had been outside and didn’t make it, she hoped you had accepted the Unnamed God as your God so that you could make it to heaven.”

Elphaba snorted. “She didn’t!”

“She did.”

“I’m so sorry you were stuck here alone with her and Nanny. I should’ve been there.” She didn’t regret that she wasn’t, though.

“At least I was here, where I live and could do my wash and clean and eat the snacks I’ve got and sleep in my own bed. What about you?”

She’d slept in a bed, one much more comfortable than her own. But Glinda thought she’d slept in a chair or on the floor. “You know comfort hasn’t been a big deal to me. I was fine. I was just worried about you.”

Glinda hugged her again. “I’m so glad we’re all safe. As soon as we’re allowed to, I’m going to make sure Pfanee and Shen-Shen are well.”

“Of course.”

A little while later, the old woman in charge of their dormitory came by, checking off names on a list. They were told that there would be a meeting of all students at the assembly hall in two hours. Madame Morrible would explain more at that time.

Glinda left to visit Shen-Shen and Pfanee, and Elphaba curled up against the headboard of her bed. She pressed her head against the wall and wrapped her arms around her knees, closing her eyes for a moment. But the moment her eyes closed, she was thinking of him. She shook her head quickly and stood up.

She ended up visiting with Nessa and Nanny, and while Nessa’s rants could be dreadful, they kept her from letting her mind wander too much. Glinda returned a few moments before they had to head to the main assembly hall. The four walked together.

Elphaba stopped herself from looking for Fiyero as they walked in and took their seats. He was there somewhere, of course, but did it matter where he was? She wouldn’t speak to him, anyway. It wasn’t exactly a good idea.

At first, Madame Morrible just reiterated what they’d all been told. “As I’m sure you all heard, a group of rebels attacked the City and Shiz with a chemical attack. There was a small attack in Munchkinland, as well, as well as Gillikin. Nowhere else had any attacks. The Wizard and his aides are safe. We are safe. The upper levels of government are safe, there is nothing to worry about.”

None of that surprised her, though she needed more information on Munchkinland.

“We were prepared for this. We thought ahead.”

_ But how? _

“Many of the more important buildings around the City, Shiz and other parts of Oz were fortified against this kind of attack.”

At this point Elphaba raised her hand. What about the poor in the City? The poor in Shiz? How many were dead because they weren’t lucky enough to have been in the right building? Madame Morrible, however, ignored her.

“Luckily, we here at this wonderful University had no fatalities.”

That did not answer her question. She waved her hand back and forth.

“I will open for questions  _ later _ ,” Morrible said pointedly. Most of the student body’s eyes were on Elphaba now, and she didn’t put her hand down. Still, Morrible continued. “Some of the rebels have been captured and dealt with. More will be hunted down in the days to come. We assure you that you are safe. Anyone worried about their family should come see me later. I have received some information. However, the mail will not start up again until mid-week. I have done my best to send word to all families that you are all alive and well.”

Elphaba didn’t like the party line she was being fed, and she sensed it wasn’t all accurate. Of course, that didn’t shock her. After all, Morrible wasn’t exactly known for unbiased truth. She continued to keep her hand in the air.

“We will attempt to resume normal activities. We must, however, stay on campus and avoid going out much for a week or two longer, to sweep the town and make certain it is fully safe and decontaminated for you.”

_ And clean up any dead bodies _ . Elphaba seethed. What was the death toll? And why would the rebels make such an attack? They had to have some intel telling them that the important places were fortified, wouldn’t they?

“So, Monday we will return to classes. No one will leave campus, even with an Ama or chaperone, unless there is an emergency and I sign off on it.” Morrible sighed, her eyes darting back to Elphaba. “Questions… Miss Thropp?”

“How many are dead here? Is that why we can’t go into town?”

“There were some… casualties. I promise it will in no way affect you.”

“What about in the City? Are many dead?”

“Some.”

“Do you have numbers?”

“Not quite yet, no.”

A blatant lie, and both women knew it. “What was the motivation for the attack?”

“I do not presume to know the insanity that goes on in such people’s heads. Now, does anyone  _ else _ have questions?”

Elphaba didn’t listen to anyone else’s questions. No one else wanted the truth; she could tell. Many asked about family members, or professors who may have lived off campus (coincidentally, all were fine). A few asked about helping with clean-up (Madame Morrible vetoed that idea immediately).

When the meeting ended, Elphaba was called into Madame Morrible’s office. Morrible didn’t usually lecture her privately for her attitude, so she was surprised, even more so when Nanny and Nessa joined her.

“I do have news from Munchkinland,” Morrible said as they were all seated.

Elphaba’s eyes narrowed immediately. “What?”

“All are alive, don’t fret. However, when your great-grandfather heard of the attack, his reaction was… pronounced.”

“What does that mean?” Nessa asked softly.

“He had a heart attack. Now, he survived, but he is somewhat weak. If you need to leave to visit with him, we do have a long weekend coming in two weeks. I’m going to ask that you avoid missing classes, but if that is absolutely necessary, I’m sure we can make some arrangements…”

They wouldn’t visit him. They’d never spoken to him before, why now? Besides, Elphaba had spent all her spare money on that trip to the City earlier in the school year and she knew Frex wouldn’t shell out for this. Elphaba did decide she’d write to her great-grandfather, though. It was time, even without his failing health. 

“Thank you for letting us know, Madame,” Nessa said after a moment. “We will make sure to contact our family.”

Elphaba tried not to roll her eyes. How could it be possible people were already trying to go back to business as usual?


	12. Chapter 12: A Week After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fiyero struggles to understand how everything can return to normal. Fiyero and Elphaba face consequences for their behavior.

**Chapter Twelve: A Week After**

Nothing seemed right. Most of his classmates were just… moving on. How, after what they had all endured, could they pretend like things were normal? And did they really buy the entire story? It seemed obvious that there was more going on, and Elphaba was the only one questioning it. But it wasn’t as if he could just walk up and talk to her about it, especially with the rules around chaperones. It would also likely be difficult to hide just how well he knew her.

He could not stop thinking about Elphaba, either. That was the other thing that wouldn’t go back to normal. Fiyero barely looked at her in classes, but it wasn’t helping. She was  _ there _ .

Fiyero did everything he could to distract himself from both the stupidity of his classmates and his thoughts of Elphaba. He wrote his family a long, detailed letter about the lockdown, assuring them he was safe. Of course, he left out the part about Elphaba being trapped with him. Or any of the other activities they’d engaged in.

As soon as the paper came out, he’d grabbed it, wanting to read all of it. But so much of it was vague, like they didn’t want to publish any actual information. He wondered if Elphaba had read it, and what she thought. 

He almost had a chance to ask her. Two weeks after classes started back up, he did run into her alone. Fiyero was returning from the lavatory when a familiar figure walked toward him down the hall. He found himself watching the way her hips moved, his fingers itching to run along her small curves. Then he met her eyes.

Surprise barely registered before it was replaced by something else entirely. Her pupils dilated and a thin smile crossed her lips. Her head darted back and forth, looking around them quickly. Her eyes fell on an empty classroom and then moved back to him.

He quirked an eyebrow at her, knowing exactly what she was thinking. A moment alone, a touch, a whisper… Fiyero almost came undone watching her tongue poke out to wet her lips. But then…

“Elphie! You’re supposed to wait for me before you go to the bathroom!” Glinda’s voice sounded from the end of the hall. “We’re not supposed to go alone.”

Fiyero pulled himself out of his fantasy. Both of them knew better. For her, getting caught would mean the end of her reputation, possible expulsion, shame. And for Fiyero? Some of the same, though the shame wouldn’t be so bad for him as a man. But he certainly didn’t want to misrepresent his entire people by being caught unawares, unmarried and intimate with a girl he should never have touched in the first place, as far as their society was concerned. 

“Right. Sorry, Glinda.” Elphaba shot Fiyero one last look before turning around. Fiyero walked right by them, pretending they hadn’t even looked at one another. No words had been exchanged, after all. And they never would’ve actually done anything, anyway. It had merely been a shared thought.

Around the same time, they were finally allowed off campus again. His small circle of friends decided to celebrate this at the cafe. Fiyero noticed at least half the wait staff had changed, though the owner and the bartender remained the same. Had some of the waitstaff been killed in the attack, or just left? He knew it was rude to ask, and only some of his classmates noticed.

“I was getting so sick of the food in the cafeteria, especially after the crap they had us eating in lockdown,” Crope complained.

Elphaba scoffed. “How about being grateful we’re alive to eat? This entire thing is still insane.”

He agreed with her. It was shocking and somewhat concerning how most of their friends had just expected things to go back to normal, and not been fazed at all by anything that had happened. “I think Miss Elphaba has a point.”

“Oh, come on,” Avaric grumbled. “I haven’t heard of anyone we know who died.”

“So it only matters if you know them? Over a thousand dead in the City, and hundreds here,” Elphaba snapped.

“How do you know how many?” Tibet asked genuinely. 

“We were only allowed out yesterday. Unless someone found her away around that?” Crope raised his eyebrows at Elphaba.

Elphaba merely shrugged. “I wanted to know the truth instead of it being glossed over as some victory for the Wizard.”

Fiyero eyed her. She had definitely been exploring the town somehow. Looking over at Glinda, it was clear she hadn’t known Elphaba had sneaked out. He laughed to himself at that. Nanny, on the other hand, was looking a little angry, but unsurprised. Part of him wished she’d sneak over to his apartment…

The rest of their friends pretty much ignored Elphaba’s complaint, though, and went on babbling about lockdown and missing each other.

“I’m so glad Pfanee and I were still together. I can’t imagine if one of us had been out of the room. It would’ve been so lonely for two weeks.” Shen-Shen opined.

“Tibet was out, so I was absolutely bored.” Crope mentioned.

“Fiyero, were you stuck alone at your place?” Tibet asked casually.

Elphaba stared at him, biting back a smirk.

“I was. I was okay. I did a puzzle and read some. But yes, I did start to feel some cabin fever with no one to talk to.”

“Elphaba locked herself alone in the library by choice, instead of spending time in the main area where all the other students were trapped,” Glinda mentioned.

Fiyero was still looking at Elphaba, who had put a hand over her mouth for a moment before pulling it back to reveal a straight face. Her eyes, however, were dancing with mischief. He threw a grin her way before tearing his eyes from her face. It wouldn’t do to be looking at her this way all the time. And he’d been doing so well, otherwise.

In class, he practically ignored her. Yes, he thought about her, but he kept it well hidden. And if she thought of him, there was never a sign of it. They couldn’t ever tell anyone, and that was for the best. He had other concerns, anyway, mostly about the way this entire crisis was being handled. He didn’t understand why people wanted to sweep it under the rug so quickly.

It had been almost a month since lockdown when he was unceremoniously called to Madame Morrible’s office on a Monday afternoon. He had never been called into her office, at least not since his first day at Shiz, and was instantly anxious to find out what was going on. He was even more anxious when he arrived and Elphaba was already there outside Morrible’s office.

“She had you come, too? What’s going on?” Elphaba demanded immediately.

“I don’t know. Could this be about…?”

“Good afternoon, you two. Please come in.” Madame Morrible’s door swung open. “We have a few issues to discuss.”

Fiyero exchanged nervous glances with Elphaba before entering the office and sitting opposite Morrible’s desk in one of the two chairs she had set out. Elphaba plopped into the one next to him, looking as defiant as ever.

“I’ve been having meetings like this all afternoon. I assure you both this is routine.”

That didn’t comfort him, but he nodded.

“You two were alone together for two weeks due to the lockdown from the attack. That is against campus rules.”

“Madame, I’m not sure what we were supposed to do. She was walking by my dormitory and I was headed inside when the announcement came. We’re acquaintances, so I brought her inside into my room to keep her safe.” Fiyero knew the line, and had been practicing it in his head from the moment he’d seen Elphaba was here, as well.

“I’m not so sure that’s the truth, but that’s not the issue here.” Madame Morrible dismissed him quickly. “We won’t penalize you for helping a classmate or the nature of circumstances. However, you both understand the two of you being alone creates some questions?”

“We didn’t do anything unbecoming, Madame,” Elphaba said. 

“Good. Then you can swear to that. Under truth serum.”

Elphaba looked at Madame Morrible with wide eyes, then darted a glance at Fiyero. “Really? Isn’t that a little extreme?”

“Not at all. Here’s how I see it: Any couple who was stuck alone during lockdown has three options: one of you swears that nothing indecent happened under truth serum, you get expelled or you get married.”

“Married?”


	13. Chapter 13: A Month After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cornered, Elphaba and Fiyero try to talk their way out of trouble, but it doesn't go well.

**Chapter Thirteen: A Month After**

There was no spell or trick to defeat truth serum. Besides that, truth serum was complex, and many people found themselves unable to lie for days, even weeks later. Elphaba didn’t need Madame Morrible asking about her beliefs of the things she knew, not to mention the fact that she couldn’t lie and she and Fiyero would be found out. Perhaps Fiyero could go under truth serum, but he too would tell the truth, all of it. So truth serum wasn’t an option, which left two things: marriage and expulsion. Neither of those was acceptable for her, either.

“Madame, Fiyero has an arranged bride-to-be in the Vinkus,” Elphaba blurted.

Fiyero was looking at her in a way she didn’t understand, but he cocked his head at that.

“I see we’re not willing to use truth serum? Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

“I… we… I…” She was speechless. For all her defiance, she felt the shame that was about to be aimed at her. Oz didn’t just forgive a girl’s transgressions.

“We slept together, Madame,” Fiyero said simply, putting a hand over hers. “It was a moment of weakness. And she’s right. I do have an arranged marriage waiting for me at home.”

Elphaba stared at him, then looked down at his hand over hers, swallowing hard. Anger began to bubble within her, not at Fiyero, but at the situation. She felt cornered and afraid.

Madame Morrible sighed heavily and shook her head. “I’m afraid that isn’t going to fix this little problem, Prince Fiyero. You’ll either be expelled and return home or you’ll put your future bride aside. Unless…” The old woman looked back at Elphaba, then to Fiyero again before settling on Elphaba. “Miss Elphaba, did you consent?”

Her mouth fell open. “What?”

“If Prince Fiyero forced himself upon you, obviously he will be punished, but I would never force you to marry him in such a case and…”

“No!” Elphaba snapped, realizing what was happening. She took a deep breath. “Stop. He didn’t.” Then something hit her, something dark but completely believable. “And please tell me you’re not only asking me that because he’s Vinkun. Did you ask any other couple that? You said you’ve been having these meetings all day.” Yes, she’d just given up her only chance to escape punishment, but she would  _ not _ do this to Fiyero. She understood what it would do to him, to his reputation, to his people. She was not willing to hurt another to help herself.

“I asked, young lady, because I saw something in your face.”

“So you haven’t asked that of anyone else?” Elphaba demanded, angry now.

“I never felt the need to.”

“Because all those boys were Gillikinese or Munchkin.”

“I resent the implication, Miss Thropp.” Madame Morrible’s voice was thin. “And I think it’s beside the point. You have allowed yourself to be defiled and given up your dignity to a boy you apparently knew had no intention of marrying you. I am disgusted by your behavior.”

But Elphaba, while she knew there was shame in what they had done as far as Oz was concerned, was not going to take it from Morrible. “Well, I’m not and neither was Fiyero.” She shrugged. “It wasn’t a moment of weakness, either, as nice as Fiyero’s trying to make it sound. If it was weakness, it was quite a bit of weakness and certainly not just one moment.” She smirked.

Fiyero cleared his throat. “Elphaba…”

“Oh, don’t.”

“Fine.” Fiyero pulled his hand back. “Madame, what exactly are we supposed to do at this point, then?”

“Like I said, you get married or you get expelled for behavior unbecoming. We can’t have it be revealed that we allowed something like this to happen here. Imagine what it would do to the reputation of Shiz and to any young woman in this situation, not that Miss Thropp seems to care.”

“May we talk alone?” Fiyero asked.

“Obviously you two can’t handle being alone. Any conversation you need to have can be had right here.” Madame Morrible folded her arms over her chest, glaring at them.

Fiyero turned to her. In a soft voice, he asked, “What do you want, Elphaba?”

Her heart thudded in her chest. “I… not any of this. But I… I can’t get expelled. What do  _ you _ want, Fiyero?”

“I think we’re pretty much on the same page, Elphaba. This wasn’t exactly part of my plans, but… I can’t be expelled, especially not this way. You know what it would do to me, and the impact it might have on my people.”

“So you’re saying we get married?” She couldn’t meet his eyes.

He nodded. “I’m not sure what will have to happen about Sarima, but yes.”

“That will not be your only issue, Prince Fiyero,” Madame Morrible interjected. 

“Huh?”

“You cannot both possibly hold your respective family titles. It puts too much power in one place, and traveling would be an issue. Miss Elphaba, I suppose you’d give the Eminence to Nessarose?”

Elphaba shook her head. This woman had taken too much from her already today. “No, wait. You can’t just force us to…”

“She won’t, Madame. I’ll step down.” Fiyero said immediately.

“What?”

Turning back to her, he said, “Elphaba, I remember what we talked about. If one of us has to give up our power, it should be me.”

“Fiyero, you don’t have to!” 

“I do. And I will. It works out. It fixes all of it. My brother can marry Sarima. She was engaged to the Crown Prince, after all. She still will be. He probably will have to come to Shiz next year, though.” He looked at Morrible pointedly. “This is going to cause some contention in my family.”

“So be it.” Madame Morrible opened her calendar. “Now, I’m performing a marriage tomorrow and one Friday. I suppose Thursday afternoon would work.”

Elphaba spoke up. “Excuse me? We have to get married in  _ two days _ ? What are we supposed to tell our friends, Madame? We can’t do that. And what about my living situation?”

“What you tell your friends is not my problem. You will get married on Thursday afternoon or you will be expelled. You can move your things into Prince Fiyero’s apartment a few hours beforehand. It’ll be a quick ceremony. And no, you may not miss classes the next day. You two took it upon yourselves to already have a honeymoon, so you don’t get one here.”

This was all too much. Elphaba looked at Fiyero desperately.

“May we talk about what we’re going to tell our friends, Madame, and make arrangements? I’m fine sitting right here if that’s what we have to do.”

Madame Morrible was barely paying any attention to them. “Go ahead.”

“Elphaba, listen to me. We’re going to get through this. We have to sell it.”

“Sell what?”

“You told me Glinda thought there was something between us.”

“Yes, but never  _ this _ .”

“Play on it. We’ve been secretly corresponding, writing love letters, star-crossed or whatever we were. We knew we could never truly court or get married, so we never told  _ anyone _ . But the lockdown made us realize we couldn’t just give up. So we begged Madame Morrible to let us get married, behind our parents’ backs.”

She cocked her head. “I don’t… will anyone believe us?”

“If we make them, yes.” He intertwined their fingers. “We have to seem completely in love.”

Elphaba looked at Morrible again. “How… how many couples are getting married? Are people going to be suspicious of that and the timing?”

“You will be the third, and you were my last couple.”

She wondered exactly why they’d been chosen to speak with her last, but ignored it for the moment. “The other people… were they courting before?”

Morrible nodded.

“So we’re the only ones who are in our situation, then.”

“Yes.”

Elphaba turned back to Fiyero and closed her eyes for a moment before whispering. “I’ll marry you.”


	14. Chapter Fourteen: The Same Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A marriage is arranged. Fiyero breaks some news to a friend.

**Chapter Fourteen: The Same Day**

His entire world had just been torn apart and then stitched back together in an entirely different form than it had been before. Then again, he’d already been dealing with his world being upside-down since the lockdown, but now? He would no longer be Crown Prince. He’d be marrying Elphaba, who clearly didn’t want to marry him, and he’d have a reckoning with his parents. He wasn’t even sure what to tell them.

Elphaba’s hand was still in his, and he squeezed it. “Thursday, then.”

Morrible shut her calendar. “Yes. Four and a half tocks in the afternoon. And the two of you are not to be alone until then.”

“But how are we to plan or arrange anything?” Elphaba asked.

“Everything is arranged. It’s over. Oh, and you’ll only be allowed two attendees at the ceremony each. I assume, Elphaba, that yours will be your sister and Nanny. It will be a short ceremony, no religion involved. If you wish to be married religiously at a later time, that is your decision.”

“But Glinda…”

“Glinda and Boq will be my guests,” Fiyero told Madame Morrible. Boq was the only friend he really had, and he knew Elphaba wanted Glinda there. This entire thing was clearly unpleasant to her, so he wanted to lessen the load. If they were going to have to be thrown together like this, not just for two weeks, but for life, they needed to be at the same level.

“Thank you, Fiyero,” Elphaba gave him a thin smile. “How would you like to tell people?” Her eyes were now locked on his, as though Morrible were not in the room.

“I thought you could tell your family and friends, and I’ll tell Boq when I invite him. Everyone else can figure it out on their own. I’ll write to my family, of course.” He winced, thinking of how disappointed his parents would be. Should he tell them the truth? A lie? Fiyero looked at Elphaba and wondered which would make them like her. He didn’t want her being judged by his parents along with everything else that was happening. And that meant the lie would be easier - the same lie they were telling their friends. “But we have to pretend we are head-over-heels in love.”

“I realize that. It’s two days before we’re married. I don’t suppose it should be that hard to pull it off for such a short time.”

“We’ll probably need to keep up the act somewhat afterward.”

“Right.”

Madame Morrible cleared her throat. “Well, then. You two have a few things to do, I’m sure. Go back to your respective dorms, which are in  _ opposite directions _ . I will be watching from the window.”

“Yes, Madame.” Fiyero stood up and pulled Elphaba gently to a standing position. He dropped her hand. 

Elphaba grabbed her bag and shut the door behind them. “Shit, shit, shit, shit…”

“We have to walk out of this building now, Elphaba,” he reminded her.

“I know. Fiyero, fuck! What in Kumbrica is happening?” She started walking toward the door.

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry? Fiyero, you didn’t do this! This is insane. And you gave up your fucking throne?”

“Elphaba,” they were nearing the door, but he needed her to hear this, “she wanted it to be you. She wanted Nessa as Eminence. Could you not see that in her eyes? I wasn’t going to let her have that. And besides, we both know you’re the better leader.”

“She… really?”

“Yes.” They were standing at the door. “Now go back and tell whoever you need to. I’ll see you Thursday.”

“Fiyero?”

“What?”

“I’m sorry, too.” And she was gone.

Fiyero began composing a letter to his parents in his head, and a separate one to his brother, as he walked back to his apartment. But the words would not come. How had so much changed in a matter of minutes?

He’d given up the throne so easily, and he had barely thought about it. What had come over him? The familial seat had been his entire upbringing, everything he knew, and while he had, at times, resented it, it was… familiar. What was he without it? Who was he? And why had he been so quick to give up everything he knew?

Elphaba did something to him, and he knew that. When he was around her, he wanted nothing but to protect her, which she probably didn’t appreciate, or to touch her. Now he was to be her husband, the man who sat beside her as she handled most of Munchkinland. In a way, he felt relieved, and that surprised him. All the longing, the thinking about her, it had been destroying him. Now, that wouldn’t have to happen.

Or would it? Would she even want him anymore, now that they were forced together by circumstances beyond their control? Fiyero knew she needed her own space. She’d been practically crawling out of her skin when they’d been trapped together, even when they’d become more  _ familiar _ with one another. She might resent him after some time, and he certainly didn’t want that. He needed to find a way to give her space if she needed it. But that was not the most pressing concern.

Elphaba would invite Glinda, of course, but he’d probably have to be the one to invite Boq. He should probably do that now rather than later, so he could get it over with. After all, at some point everyone would be hearing this story, so he’d better practice. He put his things down in his apartment and headed over to the boys’ dormitories. 

Boq was on the first floor and his roommate was Tibet. Fiyero sighed heavily and then forced a smile before knocking.

“Good afternoon, Fiyero, what’s going on?” It was Tibet. Great. Now he’d have twice the audience.

“Good afternoon Tibet. Is Boq there?” It was a stupid question. He could see the Munchkin boy sitting at his desk.

“Come on in.” Tibet stepped back from the doorway and allowed Fiyero to enter. 

“Hello,” Boq said, smiling and standing up. “What did you need?”

“I have big news,” Fiyero began, keeping the smile plastered to his face. “I’m getting married on Thursday!”

“Congratulations!” Tibet was practically shouting. “Who is the lucky young lady?”

Before Fiyero could answer, Boq said, “I thought you were arranged to marry some girl from your village, weren’t you? And you weren’t to marry until you returned to the Vinkus?”

Fiyero nodded. “Yes. That was the plan. However, I took a fancy to a girl  _ here _ . So we corresponded in secret. We knew I had to marry, but we fell in love. And after everything that’s happened this year, we decided to marry  _ now _ so that I don’t have to marry the girl my parents had chosen. I will, sadly, have to give up the throne, but I would do anything to marry this girl.”

“Now I really must know. Who is she?” Tibet insisted.

“Elphaba.”

Boq’s jaw dropped open. “What?”

“Yes, I know it’s quite a surprise.” Fiyero acknowledged. And it was a surprise to him, as well. But they didn’t need to know that. 

“And she’s agreed to marry you?”

“Yes.” He continued smiling. “And Madame Morrible has agreed to perform the marriage for us. But we are only allowed two guests each. I’m sorry, Tibet. I allowed Elphaba to invite Nanny, Nessa and Glinda. Which means I have one guest left. Boq, would you join us?”

“I… I suppose so.”

Tibet didn’t seem disappointed. “Young love. How romantic!”

If only they knew just how unromantic all of this was.


	15. Chapter 15: The Same Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glinda sees through Elphaba's story. Elphaba worries about what is to come.

**Chapter Fifteen: The Same Day**

“I don’t believe it.” Glinda looked at her. “Not at all.”

Elphaba swallowed hard. She had barely shut the door between the adjoining rooms. After gathering Nessa, Nanny and Glinda together, she’d told them her story. Nanny had looked at her with narrowed eyes, but had not protested. Nessa had shared her concern about Fiyero, but seemed quite pleased when she realized he was giving up his throne and would live in Munchkinland instead of the “primitive, godless lands of the Vinkus.” But Glinda... Glinda hadn’t said a word. Not until now.

“What is really going on, Elphie?”

She had worried Glinda would see through the pretty little lie, and of course, she had. Elphaba supposed she was simply lucky Nessa and Nanny hadn’t pressed more. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I always knew there was something between you two. But secret letters? I’d know. Those looks between the two of you were not the looks of a couple in love, but the looks of two people who wanted to know if they could be. There is no way you are choosing to marry him right now. There is something else happening here. What is it?” Glinda sat down beside Elphaba on her bed. “Tell me, Elphaba.”

She couldn’t look at Glinda. She could feel her voice shake as she said, “You’re right.”

“Oh Elphie, what is it?”

“I lied. And I did something I shouldn’t have.”

“What did you lie about?”

“Where I was during the lockdown. I was with Fiyero. I had gone over there, originally, to help him study. I knew it was frowned upon to be alone with him, but I didn’t care because it’s a stupid rule. And maybe I liked the small possibility that anything could happen. However, getting trapped together for two weeks wasn’t exactly the ‘anything’ I’d been thinking of.”

“Obviously not. But how does that lead to you marrying him, Elphaba?” Glinda placed a hand on her knee.

“You were right. There was tension there. And the tension was very… physical. I was good, Glinda, for a whole week. But we couldn’t stop ourselves. I slept with him.”

“In his bed? You went to sleep in the same bed?”

“Oh, Sweet Oz, Glinda, you’re not that ignorant, are you?” Elphaba covered her face for a moment. “I had sex with him. Quite a bit, actually.”

Glinda looked perplexed. “How? And why? I mean, didn’t it hurt every time?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I thought, if a girl was unmarried, that it always hurt. It only stops hurting after her wedding night.”

Elphaba bit back a laugh. “Who… who told you that?”

“My mother.”

“Glinda, how do you think our bodies magically stop hurting after the wedding night? That’s not how it works. Yes, it  _ can _ hurt the first time. But it’s not about whether or not we’re married. Why would women do it outside of marriage at all?”

“To trap a man. That’s what Mother said.”

“No, Glinda. That’s not it at all! I… I think you’ve been misinformed.”

“Apparently. So you’re telling me it felt  _ good _ ?”

“Yes. Although that’s beside the point. Since we were trapped together, Madame Morrible wanted us to assure her we hadn’t done anything unbecoming. But she wanted one of us to go under truth serum to prove it. Obviously, we couldn’t do that. So we were left with two options: get married or be expelled.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh, yes.”

“But isn’t Fiyero…”

“Arranged to be married? Not anymore. He’s also no longer the crown prince, just a prince.”

Glinda took it all in for a moment. “Elphie, you really… the two of you had sex?”

Elphaba nodded. “I don’t need your judgement on the topic,” she replied. “So don’t.”

“I just… it sounds so gross and weird.”

“It’s not. Glinda, I really don’t think this is the time to ask about sex.”

“So Fiyero gave up his throne?”

“Morrible threatened us. One of us had to give up our seat of power. Something about too much power being in one place. Fiyero had told me he wasn’t sure he even wanted the responsibility in the first place, and so he took the chance.”

“He took it for you.”

“No, he took it because one of us had to.” Elphaba wasn’t keen on the idea that he’d done it for her. She wasn’t worth that. And why would he think she was? No, he’d probably done it to spite Morrible, who he insisted wanted her to be the one to give up power. Him doing it for her implied things she didn’t want to face.

“Why didn’t you tell me? At least you could’ve told me where you’d been.”

“No. There would be too many questions, Glinda. And it felt so secret, and we had been so isolated.”

“But it’s  _ me _ .”

Elphaba looked at her friend. “I know that. I’m sorry.”

“So what happens now? You two get married and you just move out of here? We never speak again?”

“Of course not! First of all, Nessa and Nanny are still my family. Second of all, just because I’ll be married doesn’t mean I won’t be allowed to have friends, Glinda. And you are my friend, my closest friend.”

Glinda smiled sadly. “And you’re mine. I don’t want you to live somewhere else.”

“It wasn’t exactly part of my plan, you know.”

The blonde grabbed her hand. “This is what you want? You’re sure? I mean, you trust that Fiyero won’t be a terrible husband or anything?”

“What I want isn’t in the equation anymore. But I do trust that he won’t be terrible. He is a good person. You know that. You know him.”

“Not as well as you, apparently.”

Elphaba squeezed Glinda’s hand. “He won’t hurt me, if that’s what you’re worried about. He could never. That’s not him.”

“Maybe you two can really fall in love, then.”

She forced a thin smile. “I don’t know about that. I just want to have my own life sometimes, and exist in my own space. And love isn’t something I can do.”

“You can.”

“I’m not so sure. I don’t know that I’m capable. Or that I want to.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t love someone. Don’t tell me you never thought about marriage?”

“Not much, no. I mean, there were times I thought that  _ maybe  _ if the right person came along and I was in the right place in my life... But this isn’t exactly the right place. And while I like Fiyero just fine,I can’t say he’s the right person. I don’t know him well enough.”

“You knew him well enough to share some very intimate things with him. For Oz’s sake, he must have seen you naked!”

“Well, yes, that happens with sex.” Elphaba struggled not to laugh at her roommate’s naivete about this subject. Glinda knew how to flirt with boys, and about courtship, and had been looking for a good husband since they’d arrived at Shiz, but apparently she didn’t know much beyond that. Elphaba knew she shouldn’t be surprised. After all, there were a lot of girls who were ignorant to the facts of life. Her mother hadn’t let her grow up without the truth. And maybe she was lucky for that.

“So does that mean you two will continue… doing all of that?”

“I…” Elphaba didn’t know how to respond. How could she admit that she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it? All she had pictured every time she closed her eyes was him. And her body constantly betrayed her, too, wanting him every moment. She’d never experienced desire like that. But did Fiyero feel it, too? Did he want her at all anymore, or had it merely been a convenient way to satisfy his lust? She didn’t want to want him. “I honestly don’t know. I’m not exactly worried about that at the moment.”

“So what are you worried about?”

“The most immediate worry is pulling this off so that people believe it.”

Glinda smiled. “I can help you with that.”


End file.
